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THE 

QUIMBY  MANUSCRIPTS 

M 

Showing  the  Discovery  of  Spiritual  Heal- 
ing and  the  Origin  of  Christian  Science 

EDITED  BY 

HORATIO  W.  DRESSER     . 

Author    of    "The   Power   of  Silence,"   '- •'  *    -  ' 
"A  History  of  the  New  Thought  Movement,"  Ets.  • 


NEW  YORK 

THOMAS  Y.  CROWELL  COMPANY 

PUBUSHERS 


|JBRAR!II 


Copyright,  1921, 
By  THOMAS  Y.  CROWELL  COMPANY 

Second  Printing 


PRINTED  IN  U.  S.  A. 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND 
EDITION 

For  many  years  a  mass  of  documents  of  interest  to  Chris- 
tian Scientists  and  to  their  critics  as  well,  has  been  withheld 
from  publication,  although  earnestly  sought.  These  docu- 
ments were  written  by  Dr.  P.  P.  Quiraby,  of  Portland,  Maine, 
and  contain  his  views  regarding  mental  and  spiritual  heal- 
ing. They  became  familiar  to  Mrs.  Mary  Baker  Eddy  when 
she  visited  Dr.  Quimby  as  a  patient,  and  it  has  been  charged 
by  her  critics  that  many  of  the  ideas  later  promulgated  in  her 
teachings  were  born  of  the  Quimby  theories. 

In  order  to  set  this  controversy  at  rest,  many  attempts  have 
been  made  to  gain  access  to  the  Quimby  manuscripts,  but 
heretofore  without  success  except  in  piecemeal  or  disjointed 
form.  The  present  editor,  however,  has  been  fortunate  in 
securing  from  Mrs.  George  A.  Quimby,  owner  of  the  manu- 
scripts, permission  to  print  the  documents  in  full.  Many  of 
them  now  see  the  light  of  the  printed  page  for  the  first  time. 
Others  give  a  full  and  authentic  version  of  material  from 
which  only  short  extracts  have  previously  appeared. 

The  editor's  point  of  view  is  that  of  the  expositor,  never 
critical  save  as  the  author  of  the  manuscripts  might  have 
criticized  his  own  work.  All  subject-matter  in  brackets  is  by 
the  editor,  also  all  footnotes.  Italics  and  quotation-marks 
have  been  introduced  to  a  slight  extent.  Scriptural  quota- 
tions have  not  been  corrected,  because  Di.  Quimby  was  in  the 
habit  of  paraphasing  in  order  to  show  how  he  interpreted  the 
Bible.     Some  of  the  articles  have  been  condensed  to  avoid 


4  PREFACE 

repetition,  but  no  material  changes  have  been  made.  The 
terms  Science,  Truth,  Wisdom,  have  been  capitalized  through- 
out in  conformity  with  the  usage  in  some  of  the  articles  in 
which  these  words  are  synonyms  for  Christ,  or  God.  The 
same  is  true  of  the  general  terms  for  Quimb/s  theory,  the 
Science  of  Health,  the  Science  of  Life  and  Happiness.  The 
term  Christian  Science  is  used  with  reference  to  the  growth 
of  the  original  teaching  of  Jesus. 

In   this   edition   several   errors  have   been   corrected   and 
Chapter  twelve  has  been  re-written. 


PUBLISHERS'  NOTE 

This  book  is  without  question  the  most  important  con- 
tribution to  the  subject  of  mental  healing  ever  published. 
It  gives  the  history  of  the  discoveries  and  practice  of  P.  P. 
Quimby,  whose  researches  began  in  1840,  and  tells  in  his  own 
words  how  he  came  to  develop  the  silent  method  of  healing 
and  to  acquire  his  theory  known  as  the  "Science  of  Health." 

The  book  as  a  whole  contains  an  adequate  statement  of 
Quimby's  original  theory  as  found  in  his  manuscripts,  1846- 
65.  The  volume  also  contains  the  writings,  hitherto  inac- 
cessible, which  Mrs.  Eddy  borrowed  during  her  stay  in  Port- 
land as  Quimby's  patient.  The  editor  is  a  son  of  Mr.  Julius 
A.  Dresser,  who  was  the  most  active  of  Quimby's  followers  at 
the  time  Mrs.  Eddy  was  under  treatment  and  who  loaned 
Mrs.  Eddy  the  copv-books  which  made  her  acquainted  with 
the  Quimby  manuscripts. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I  Biographical  Sketch 7-18 

II  History  of  the  Manuscripts       ....  19-26 

m  Quimby's  Restoration  to  Health     .     .     .  27-35 

IV  The  Mesmeric  Period 36-48 

V  The  Principles  Discovered 49-62 

VI  The  Intermedute  Period 63-72 

Vn    Early  Writings 73-85 

To  the  Sick  in  Body  and  Mind ;  Spiritualism  and 
Mesmerism;  Letter  to  a  Patient;  To  a  Patient;  Mr. 
Quimby's  Method. 

VIII  Contemporary  Testimony 86-108 

IX  Letters  from  Patients 109-1 IG 

X  Letters  to  Patients 117-132 

XI  Letters  to  Patients  and  Inquirers  .      .      .  133-151 

XII  Mrs.  Eddy  :  1862-1875 152-164 

XIII  Questions  and  Answers 165-178 

XIV  Christ  or  Science 179-220 

Mind  is  Spiritual  Matter;  What  is  Disease?  How 
does  the  Mind  Produce  Disease?  Mind  is  Not  Intelli- 
gence: Is  the  Curing  of  Disease  a  Science?  Is  Disease 
a  Belief?  Life  and  Disease;  Disease;  Love  I;  What 
is  My  Theory ;  Clairvoyance ;  Love  II ;  How  Dr.  Quimhy 
Cures;  Another  World;  Your  Position;  My  Theory;  Es- 
tablishing a  Science;  Two  Sciences;  Christ  and  Truth  ; 
Difference  Between  My  Belief  and  Others;  True  and 
False  Christs;  Your  True  Position;  My  Religion; 
Happiness;  Prayer  I;  Prayer  II;  How  I  Hold  My 
Patients;  IIow  I  Cure  the  Sick;  Do  People  Peally  Be- 
lieve What  They  Think?  Jesus  and  Christ;  Wrong 
Use  of  Words;  Harmony  I;  Harmony  II;  Difference 
of  Opinion  About  the  Dead;  Resurrection;  A  Commun- 
ication; My  Use  of  the  Word  Mind. 


45Sf)3'l 


6  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XV    The  World  op  the  Senses 230-274 

To  the  Reader;  False  Reports  Concerning  My  Re- 
ligious Belief;  Mind;  The  Scientific  Man;  The  Natu- 
ral Man;  Death  of  the  Natural  Man;  The  Senses; 
How  the  Senses  Are  Deceived;  The  Senses  and  Lan- 
guage; Man's  Identity;  The  EfTect  of  Mind  on  Mind; 
Imagination ;  How  the  Opinions  of  Physicians  Oper- 
ate; Obstacles  in  Establishing  a  New  Science;  Mind 
and  Disease;  Do  We  Know  All  We  Write  or  Say? 

XVT    Disease  and  Healing 275-322 

The  Reception  of  this  Great  Truth;  Concerning  Be- 
liefs; Works  the  Fruit  of  Our  Belief;  The  Relation  of 
this  Truth  to  the  Sick;  Parable;  Answer  to  a  Ques- 
tion; Cures;  Is  There  Any  Curative  Quality  in  Medi- 
cine? Outlines  of  a  New  Theory  for  Curing  Disease; 
Disease;  Disease,  Love  and  Courage;  W'hat  Do  I  Im- 
part to  My  Patients?  Experience  of  a  Patient;  The 
Silent  Method;  Treatment  of  a  Child;  The  Healing 
Principle;  Health  and  Disease;  Learning  to  Heal; 
Strength;  Mind  and  Disease. 

XVII    God  and  Man 323-349 

On  Wisdom;  The  Christian's  God;  Man;  Love. 

XVrn    Eeligious  Questions 350-381 

Defence  Against  an  Accusation  of  Making  Myself 
Equal  to  Christ;  Religion  in  Disease;  Jesus'  Healing 
and  His  Message;  Religon;  The  Effect  of  Religion  on 
Health;  Controversy  About  the  Dead;  The  Resurrec- 
tion; Another  World;  What  is  Religion;  The  Other 
World;  Defence  Against  an  Accusation  of  Putting 
Down  Religion. 

XIX    Science,  Life,  Death 382-428 

Science;  Christian  Science;  Life;  Man  and  Woman; 
Light;  Death;  Thoughts;  Editor's  Summary. 

Appendix 429-438 

List  of  Quimhy's  Writings.  The  Quimby-Eddy  Con- 
troversy. 

Photographic  Reproductions  of  Manuscripts  443 


The    Quimby    Manuscripts 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

When  a  man  of  ability  and  influence  in  the  world  has  been 
misrepresented,  a  golden  opportunity  is  put  before  us.  Once 
in  touch  with  his  spirit,  we  may  have  the  good  fortune  to 
catch  his  vision,  see  the  marvels  he  might  have  achieved  had 
he  lived  until  our  day,  his  genius  recognized,  his  truth  made 
our  own.  It  will  not  then  be  necessary  to  devote  much  time 
to  the  controversies  which  have  grown  up  around  his  name. 

Such  an  opportunity  is  put  before  the  truth-loving  world 
in  the  case  of  Phineas  Parkliurst  Quimby,  gone  from  among 
us  since  January  16,  1866.  He  was  not  great  as  some  account 
greatness.  We  need  not  praise  him  to  do  him  justice.  But 
he  loved  his  fellowmen,  lived  and  labored,  and  laid  down  his 
life  for  them.  He  was  a  very  genuine  lover  of  truth,  and 
faithfully  stood  for  a  great  truth  of  surpassing  value  for 
humanity.  "V^lioever  does  this  is  worthy  of  our  endeavors  to 
put  his  work  in  its  real  light.  Because  he  was  persistently 
misrepresented,  the  world  demands  to  know  the  full  truth 
about  him,  and  in  knowing  it  may  come  into  surer  possession 
of  his  gift  to  humanity. 

Because  Dr.  Quimb}',  as  he  was  called  by  his  patients  and 
friends,  has  been  put  in  a  false  light  for  many  years,  he  is 
given  opportunity  to  speak  for  himself,  in  his  own  words,  from 
his  letters,  manuscripts  and  other  documents,  preserved 
precisely  as  he  left  them.  Time  has  kept  for  our  purposes 
everything  needed  to  make  the  record  complete. 

Quimby's  writings  were  not  meant  for  publication,  although 
their  author  hoped  to  revise  them  for  a  book,  and  he  had 
already  written  experimental  introductions.  The  lapse  of 
time  has  brought  many  changes  of  thought,  hence  notes  and 
explanations  are  necessary.     The  therapeutic  movement  which 

7 


8  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

grew  out  of  Quimby's  pioneer  work  has  also  undergone 
changes.  Time  has  shown  that  tlie  original  teachings  have 
come  to  possess  a  value  which  might  not  have  been  theirs  had 
they  been  published  fifty  years  ago.  Now  that  the  teachings 
are  given  to  tlie  world,  many  new  estimates  will  be  made.  The 
majority  of  us  are  little  accustomed  to  thinking  in  terms  of 
inner  experience  without  the  embellishments  of  literary  art  or 
the  interpretations  of  sects  and  schools;  and  some  effort  will 
be  required  to  take  up  the  point  of  view  of  a  writer  who  wrote 
precisely  as  he  thought. 

There  is  little  to  add  to  the  biographical  sketch  published  by 
his  son  George  A.  Quimby,  in  the  New  England  Magazine, 
March,  1888,  so  far  as  external  details  are  concerned. 
Quimby  was  born  in  Lebanon,  New  Hampshire,  February  16, 
1802,  When  two  years  of  age  his  home  was  moved  to 
Belfast,  Maine,  where  he  spent  his  boyhood  days  without 
noteworthy  incident.  The  family  home  remained  in  Belfast. 
There  Quimby  began  his  first  investigations  in  mental  phe- 
nomena. Thither  he  went  for  rest  and  change  in  the  years 
of  his  greatest  activities  as  spiritual  healer  in  Portland,  and 
there  his  earthly  life  came  to  an  end,  after  more  than  twent}'' 
years  devoted  to  the  type  of  work  wliich  gives  him  title  to 
fame  among  original  minds. 

His  education  in  the  schools  was  so  meagre  that  he  did  not 
learn  to  spell  and  punctuate  as  most  writers  do.  But  when  he 
misspelled  he  did  so  uniformly,  and  his  phonetic  spellings  are 
convenient  means  of  identification  in  his  manuscripts.  The 
same  is  true  of  his  peculiar  use  of  words.  In  one  of  his  papers 
he  says,  with  reference  to  his  education,  that  if  he  has  learning 
enough  to  convey  his  ideas  to  the  world  that  will  suffice.  Had 
he  been  granted  the  opportunity  as  a  young  man,  he  would 
naturally  have  sought  the  best  training  in  the  special  sciences, 
as  that  was  the  tendency  of  his  mind.  But  there  are  other 
sorts  of  education  which  some  of  us  value  more.  If  to  be 
educated  is  to  have  power  to  quicken  in  men  and  women 
knowledge  of  themselves,  love  for  spiritual  truth  and  love  for 
God,  then  indeed  he  was  educated  in  high  degree.  The 
significant  fact  is  that  with  only  a  common-school  education, 
and  with  but  slight  acquaintance  with  the  ages  of  human 
thought,  Quimby  made  the  best  use  of  his  powers  and  grappled 
with  the  greatest  problems  with  clear  insight.  To  see  why  he 
came  to  believe  as  he  did  is  to  pass  far  beyond  the  external 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  9 

facts  of  his  biography,  and  turn  to  his  inner  life  with  its  out- 
reachings. 

Quimby  early  manifested  ability  as  an  inventor,  but  his 
mechanical  interests  do  not  explain  him.  So,  too,  in  his 
occupation  as  watch  and  clockmaker  there  is  no  hint  of  his 
peculiar  ability  in  discerning  the  human  heart.  His  power 
as  inventor  was  limited  by  his  interest  in  mechanics.  Before 
the  period  of  his  experiments  in  mental  phenomena  there  is 
only  one  incident  of  any  significance  recorded,  the  recovery 
of  his  health  in  part  without  the  aid  of  medicine;  but  even 
in  this  case  his  meagre  account  fails  to  tell  us  whether  the 
change  was  in  any  sense  permanent.  It  was  not  until  his 
investigations  were  well  begun  that  he  wholly  regained  his 
health  and  began  to  see  that  health  is  a  spiritual  possession. 
But  in  reviewing  this  introductory  period  of  his  life  every- 
thing once  more  depends  on  what  we  call  education. 
Inventive  or  creative  ability,  combined  with  love  for  facts, 
the  facts  and  laws  of  the  special  sciences,  is  a  splendid 
beginning  if  one  is  to  devote  maturer  years  to  establishing  a 
spiritual  science.  Perhaps  it  was  Quimby's  love  for  natural 
facts  which  kept  him  from  ignoring  the  existence  and  reality 
of  the  natural  world,  when  he  became  absorbed  in  the  study 
of  the  mind. 

Quimby's  mind  was  scientific  in  the  good  sense  of  the  term. 
He  did  not  stop  many  years  in  the  domain  of  mechanics. 
He  was  not  content  with  letters  patent  as  signs  of  his  ability. 
Nor  was  he  satisfied  with  studies  in  mesmerism,  spiritism  and 
kindred  phenomena.  The  impressive  fact  is  that  he  continued 
his  researches  until  he  laid  the  basis  for  a  new  structure  in 
the  world  of  thought.  During  the  period  of  his  preliminary 
investigations  he  read  books  on  the  sciences  to  some  extent. 
But  with  the  beginning  of  his  life-work  he  branched  out  in 
a  new  direction,  working  entirely  alone,  amidst  opposition  and 
with  no  books  to  help  him.  His  more  productive  years  should 
therefore  be  judged  by  liis  high  ideal  of  a  spiritual  science. 

His  great  love  for  truth,  his  desire  to  prove  all  things  for 
himself,  is  then  the  most  prominent  characteristic  of  his  early 
manhood.  Apparently,  those  who  knew  him  well  in  the  early 
years  of  his  life  in  Belfast  saw  nothing  peculiar  or  exceptional 
in  him.  Hence  there  is  nothing  recorded  that  gives  us  any 
clue  until,  putting  aside  conventional  standards  of  thought, 
we  seek  the  man's  inner  type,  the  sources  of  his  insight  in 


10  BIOORAPHICAL  SKETCH 

the  Divine  purpose.  Yet  there  is  an  advantage  in  being 
known  by  one's  fellow  townsmen  as  honest,  upright,  dedicated 
to  practical  pursuits,  and  by  no  means  peculiar.  For  when 
Quimby  took  up  a  study  that  was  unpopular,  he  was  a  prophet 
with  honor  in  his  own  country.  From  his  home  town  he 
went  forth  to  engage  in  public  experiments,  well  recom- 
mended. And  in  his  own  town  he  began  the  practice  of 
spiritual  healing,  winning  there  the  reputation  which  led 
him  to  move  to  Portland,  in  1859,  and  enlarge  his  work. 

Was  he  a  religious  man?  In  one  of  his  articles  he  says, 
"I  have  been  trying  all  my  life,  ever  since  I  was  old  enough 
to  listen,  to  understand  the  religious  opinions  of  the  world, 
and  see  if  people  understand  what  they  profess  to  believe." 
Not  finding  spiritual  wisdom,  he  was  inclined  to  be  sceptical, 
and  later  spent  much  time  setting  his  patients  free  from 
religious  beliefs.  George  Quimby  tells  us  emphatically  that 
his  father  was  not  religious  in  the  sense  in  which  one  might 
understand  the  term  religion  as  applied  to  organizations, 
churches  and  authorized  text-books.  We  shall  see  reasons 
for  this  distinction  as  we  proceed.  But  if  to  believe 
profoundly  in  the  indwelling  presence  of  God  as  love  and 
wisdom,  if  to  live  by  this  Presence  so  as  to  realize  its  reality 
vividly  in  the  practice  of  spiritual  healing,  is  to  be  religious, 
then  indeed  few  men  have  been  more  truly  religious  than 
he.  Those  of  us  who  have  known  his  chief  followers  have 
felt  from  them  a  spiritual  impetus  coming  from  his  work 
which  surpasses  what  we  have  elsewhere  met  in  actual 
practice. 

After  he  ceased  to  experiment  with  mesmerism,  and  began 
to  study  the  sick  intuitively,  he  took  his  starting-point  in 
religious  matters  from  the  state  in  which  he  found  his  pa- 
tients. He  found  many  of  them  victims  of  what  we  now  call 
the  old  theology.  The  priests  and  ministers  of  that  theology 
were  to  him  blind  guides.  Hence,  as  he  tells  us,  he  made 
war  on  all  religious  opinions  and  on  all  priestcraft.  Jesus 
was  to  him  a  reformer  who  had  overcome  all  his  religion 
before  beginning  to  establish  "the  Truth  or  Christ."  Quimby 
was  very  radical  in  opposing  doctrinal  conceptions  of  Christ. 
He  uniformly  called  Jesus  "a  man  like  ourselves,"  that  he 
might  win  for  the  Master  new  recognition  as  the  founder  of 
spiritual  science.  To  him  "the  Science  of  the  Christ"  was 
greater  than  a  religion. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  11 

/  Did  he  allow  his  own  personality  to  become  a  centre  of 
/  interest  and  admiration?  '  Not  at  all.  He  realized  of  course 
that  his  patients  would  look  up  to  him  as  to  any  pliysician 
who  had  restored  them  to  health  when  there  was  apparently 
no  hope.  So  he  sometimes  freely  spoke  of  his  "power  or 
influence."  But  this  was  to  divert  attention  from  doctors 
and  medicines.  He  then  disclosed  the  way  to  his  great  truth, 
and  kept  his  "science"  steadily  before  his  patient's  mind. 
His  manuscripts  contain  scarcely  a  reference  to  himself  save 
to  show  what  he  learned  from  early  investigations,  why  he  is 
not  a  spiritualist,  humbug  or  quack,  and  why  he  believed 
man  possesses  "spiritual  senses"  in  touch  with  Divine  wisdom. 
Thus  he  often  speaks  of  himself  in  the  third  person  as  "P. 
P.  Q."  not  "the  natural  man,"  but  the  one  who  has  seen  a 
great  truth  which  all  might  understand. 

In  his  constructive  period  in  Portland,  Quimby  had  around 
I  him,  not  ardent  disciples  who  compared  him  with  the  great 
I  philosophers  or  with  Jesus,  but  a  small  group  who  defended 
him  against  misrepresentation,  and  regarded  him  as  he  wished 
to  be  regarded,  as  a  lover  of  truth.  His  patients  became 
his  special  friends,  and  it  was  to  those  most  interested  that  he 
gave  forth  his  ideas  most  freely.  The  Misses  Ware,  who  did 
most  of  the  copying  of  the  manuscripts  and  made  changes 
in  them  according  to  his  suggestions  when  he  heard  them  read, 
were  especially  fitted  for  this  service,  since  they  brought 
forward  no  opinions  of  their  own  and  were  devoted  to  this 
part  of  the  work.  So,  too,  Mr.  Julius  A.  Dresser,  who  spent 
his  time  after  his  own  recovery,  in  June,  1860,  conversing  with 
new  patients  and  inquirers,  explaining  Quimby's  theory  and 
methods,  was  particularly  adapted  to  aid  the  great  cause  to 
which  his  life  was  dedicated.  A  few  followers  wrote  brief 
articles  for  tlie  press,  but  none  had  the  confidence 
to  undertake  any  elaborate  exposition,  hoping  as  they  did 
that  the  manuscripts  would  soon  be  given  to  the  world  and 
that  these  would  disclose  the  new  truth  in  its  fulness. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  Quimby  did  no  teacliing,  and  this 
is  true  so  far  as  organized  instruction  is  concerned.  But  he 
did  the  same  kind  of  teaching  that  all  original  men  engage 
in,  he  conversed  with  his  followers,  speaking  out  of  the 
fulness  of  experience  and  with  the  force  of  native  insight. 
Thus  he  began  the  educational  part  of  his  treatment  as  soon 


12  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

as  his  patients  were  in  a  state  of  mind  to  listen  responsively. 
Then  he  explained  his  "Truth"  more  at  length  as  responsive- 
ness grew  and  interest  was  awakened.  Coming  out  of  his 
office  tilled  with  insights  from  his  latest  sitting,  he  would 
share  his  views  with  interested  groups.  Sometimes,  too,  his 
essays  would  be  read  and  the  contents  discussed.  His  writings 
were  loaned  to  patients  and  followers  who  were  especially 
interested,  and  after  February,  18G2,  copies  of  his  "Questions 
and  Answers"  were  kept  in  circulation  among  patients.  The 
Misses  Ware  and  Mr.  Dresser  had  freer  access  to  the  writings 
and  were  in  a  position  to  make  supplementary  explanations. 
In  a  way,  this  is  the  best  sort  of  instruction  in  the  world, 
this  teaching  by  the  conversational  method  when  the  works  and 
evidences  in  question  are  immediately  accessible  to  those  in- 
terested to  follow  the  implied  principles  and  learn  all  they 
can. 

This  was  the  way  in  which  the  author  of  "Science  and 
Health"  received  her  instruction.  Mrs.  Eddy,  then  Mrs. 
Patterson,  had  the  full  benefit  of  these  exceptional  oppor- 
tunities. Soon  after  she  had  sufficiently  recovered  from  her 
invalidism  to  give  attention  to  the  principles  of  which  she 
had  witnessed  such  an  impressive  demonstration  in  her  own 
case,  she  manifested  great  interest  in  the  new  truths.  Mr. 
Dresser,  who  understood  Quimby's  ideas  and  methods  par- 
ticularly well,  talked  at  length  with  her,  and  later  loaned  her 
Vol.  I  of  the  manuscripts,  printed  in  Chap.  XIV.  We 
learn  from  George  Quimby  who,  as  his  father's  secretary, 
was  always  present,  that  she  talked  at  length  with  Dr.  Quimby, 
in  his  office,  at  the  close  of  the  silent  sittings.  She  was 
present  in  the  groups  of  interested  listeners  above  referred 
to.  She  heard  essays  read  and  discussed.  Submitting  some 
of  her  first  attempts  at  expressing  the  new  ideas  in  her  own 
way,  she  also  had  the  benefit  of  Dr.  Quimby's  criticism.  Then 
too  she  had  opportunity  to  copy  "Questions  and  Answers,"  on 
which  she  was  later  to  base  her  teachings.  We  have  direct 
testimony  on  all  these  points  from  those  in  regular  association 
with  Dr.  Quimby,  and  from  those  who  knew  Mrs.  Eddy  when 
she  was  noting  down  remembered  sayings  and  modifying 
manuscripts  preparatory  to  teaching.  Here,  in  brief,  was  the 
origin  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  type  of  Christian  Science  as  she  later 
gave  it  forth  in  successive  editions  of  "Science  and  Health." 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  13 

Her  indebtedness  was  that  of  the  student  to  the  teacher  with 
an  original  mind.  Our  interest  is  to  note  Quiraby's  power  of 
quickening  such  responsiveness  by  sharing  his  insights,  con- 
tributing  his   peculiar   terms,   and   explaining   his   methods. 

The  only  member  of  the  little  group  not  formerly  a  patient 
was  Quimby's  son,  George.  Dr.  Quimby  hoped  that  his  son 
would  devote  himself  to  "the  Truth,"  for  George  had  excep- 
tional opportunitos  as  his  father's  secretary  during  the  Port- 
land period  to  see  the  fruits  of  the  new  Science.  Fortun- 
ately for  us,  George  had  an  exceptional  memory  for  all 
important  details,  he  was  conscientious  to  the  limit  in  pre- 
serving the  manuscripts  until  the  time  should  come  to  fulfil 
all  conditions  and  publish  them,  and  his  keen  sense  of  humor 
was  oftentimes  the  saving  grace  of  the  long-drawn-out  con- 
troversy which  began  in  1883.  He  had  as  intimate  know- 
ledge of  his  father's  teachings  and  methods  as  one  could  have 
who  had  not  himself  demonstrated  them  by  healing  or  being 
healed,  or  by  teaching.  His  correspondence  with  inquirers 
discloses  little  interest  in  the  spiritual  side  of  his  father's 
teachings,  and  so  he  dwells  rather  on  the  mental  theory  of 
the  origin  of  disease  and  its  cure.  But  he  well  knew  that 
what  he  calls  the  "religious"  part  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  book  and 
church  were  her  own,  not  his  father's,  as  greatly  indebted 
as  she  was  for  the  ideas  and  methods  without  which  her  work 
could  never  have  come  to  be. 

Quimby's  followers  were  remarkably  free  from  hero-worship. 
Hence  they  did  not  put  down  wise  sayings  to  any  extent,  did 
not  make  note  of  impressive  incidents,  and  have  not  handed 
down  material  for  the  elaborate  biography  which  some  have 
hoped  the  editor  of  this  l)ook  would  write.  All  this  is  in  per- 
fect keeping  with  the  truth  which  Quimby  taught.  It  is  disap-  \ 
,  pointing  to  those  who  care  little  except  for  human  anecdotes. \ 
I  It  is  taken  as  a  matter  of  course  by  those  who  love  truth  above 
its  prophets.  \ 

His"patients  tell  us  that  Quimby  had  remarkable  insight  into 
the  character  of  the  sick.  He  judged  character,  not  by  ex- 
ternal signs,  not  through  reasoning  from  facts  to  conclusions, 
but  by  silent  impressions  gained  as  he  rendered  his  mind 
open  to  discern  the  real  life  and  "see  it  whole."  The  quest 
for  facts  and  the  inventive  ability  of  his  earlier  years  became 
the  love  for  truth  regarding  his  patients  and  the  creative 


14  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

insight  of  his  constructive  period.  He  was  in  the  habit  of 
telling  the  truth  as  he  saw  it,  even  if  it  aroused  momentary 
resentment  in  the  mind  of  his  patients.  If  a  patient  was  in 
bondage  to  medical  or  priestly  opinion,  he  disclosed  this 
servitude  with  startling  directness.  He  addressed  himself 
to  the  real  or  "scientific"  man,  summoning  the  true  self  into 
power. 

One  of  his  patients  has  said,  "P.  P.  Quimby's  perceptive 
powers  were  remarkable.  He  always  told  his  patient  at  the 
first  sitting  what  the  latter  thought  was  his  disease ;  and,  as 
he  was  able  to  do  this,  he  never  allowed  the  patient  to  tell 
him  anything  about  his  case.  Quimby  would  also  continue 
and  tell  the  patient  what  the  circumstances  were  which  first 
caused  the  trouble,  and  then  explain  to  him  how  he  fell  into 
his  error,  and  then  from  this  basis  he  would  prove  .  .  .  that 
his  state  of  suffering  was  purely  an  error  of  mind,  and  not 
what  he  thought  it  was.  Thus  his  system  of  treating  diseases 
was  really  and  truly  a  science,  which  proved  itself.  ...  He 
taught  his  patients  to  understand  .  .  .  and  [they  were]  in- 
structed in  the  truth  as  well  as  restored  to  health."  '■ 

That  is  to  say,  Quimby's  work,  emulating  that  of  Jesus, 
was  fundamental  and  central.  It  began  with  bodily  and  men- 
tal healing,  when  this  was  called  for  first,  as  it  was  in  nearly 
every  instance.  It  became  spiritual  and  regenerative  if  a 
person  desired.  For  he  could  not  compel  a  person  to  be  born 
anew.  He  could  but  disclose  the  way  persuasively.  That 
his  way  was  indeed  persuasive  was  seen  in  the  case  of  follow- 
ers who  came  to  him  as  a  last  resort,  deeming  him  some  sort  of 
irregular  practitioner,  his  method  a  'Tiumbug,"  and  went 
away  deeply  touched  by  his  spirit  and  the  power  of  the  great 
truths  he  had  to  give. 

Some  effort  will  be  required  to  discern  his  inner  type,  on  the 
part  of  those  who  have  heard  adverse  opinions  circulated  about 
him  during  the  long  controversial  years.  It  is  by  no  means  a 
mere  question  of  doing  him  justice  at  last.  He  desired  no 
credit,  and  there  is  no  reason  for  underestimating  what  others 
have  done  in  order  to  win  recognition  for  him.  His  work  and 
teachings  were  both  like  and  unlike  the  teachings  and 
work    of    his    later   followers.      He    undoubtedly    possessed 

1  J.  A.  Dresser,  in  "The  True  History  of  Mental  Science,"  revised 
edition,  p.  23. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  15 

greater  intuition  and  greater  healing  power  than  the  thera- 
peutists who  have  come  after  him.  He  did  not  stop  with 
nervous  or  functional  diseases,  but  more  often  healed  organic 
disorders.  A  closet  full  of  canes  and  crutches  left  by  patients 
in  his  office  in  Portland  in  the  last  years  of  his  practice 
testified  to  his  remarkable  power.  His  followers  lacked  the 
requisite  confidence  to  try  to  heal  as  he  did,  while  he  was  still 
with  them.  Later,  when  his  ideas  and  methods  began  to 
become  known  outside  of  Maine  and  New  Hampshire,  the 
therapeutists  who  took  up  the  work  had  to  depend  upon 
questioning  their  patients,  and  some  of  the  early  writers 
restated  the  Quimby  philosophy  in  a  much  more  abstract 
way. 

The  reader  will  see  why  the  Christian  Science  of  Mrs. 
Eddy's  type  could  not  have  come  into  being  without  Quimby'g 
■work  as  healer  and  teacher,  but  will  as  surely  see  that  what 
Quimby  meant  by  "Science"  was  something  greater  and  nobler.  / 
What  was  most  original  with  Quimby  was  his  method  of  si- 
lent spiritual  healing,  with  its  dependence  on  the  Divine 
presence.  Without  this  method  neither  Mrs.  Eddy  nor  any 
other  follower  could  have  developed  the  special  variations  of 
the  theory  known  as  Divine  or  mental  science.  The  present- 
day  disciple  of  mental  healing  will  recognize  much  that  is 
familiar  in  Quimby's  writings  and  will  be  deeply  interested 
to  learn  how  it  all  came  to  be ;  but  will  also  notice  that  the 
language  is  different,  and  that  far-reaching  consequences  will 
follow  if  this  theory  is  taken  seriously. 

No  ideas  of  value  spring  into  fulness  of  being  from  the 
human  brain.  If  we  realize  that  in  all  discoveries  there  are 
periods  of  groping,  followed  by  times  of  readjustment  or  ' 
assimilation,  and  then  a  constructive  period,  we  shall  expect 
the  same  in  the  case  of  Dr.  Quimby.  He  needed  his  mechanic- 
al interests  and  his  love  of  invention  as  incentives  to  progress 
of  sufficient  power  to  carry  him  beyond  allegiance  to  medical 
science.  Then  his  interest  in  mesmerism,  awaking  with  the 
beginnings  of  that  subject  in  1838^  becoming  more  active  in 
1840,  and  leading  to  his  public  exhibitions,  1843-47,  afforded 
opportunity  for  a  yet  greater  reaction  against  prevailing 
points  of  view  and  yielded  problems  enough  for  many  a 
year.  Next  came  his  intermediate  period,  1847-59,  with  its 
gradual  assimilation  of  new  truths,  the  development  of  a  new 


16  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

method  of  treating  the  sick,  and  the  first  expressions  of  his 
"Science  of  Health."  Finally,  came  the  constructive  period, 
concident  with  the  years  of  his  greater  work  among  the  sick, 
in  Portland,  1859-65,  and  continuing  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  in  Belfast,  January  16,  1866.  He  was  a  public  experi- 
menter for  four  years  only.  He  was  a  mental  and  spiritual 
healer  from  1847  through  the  long  period  when  he  was  acquir- 
ing his  original  views  about  life  and  health.  Thus  we  have  \ 
before  us  an  inner  history  from  small  beginnings,  in  place  ^ 
of  an  alleged  "revelation." 

It  will  be  necessary  to  give  some  attention  to  the  mesmeric 
period,  1843-47,  for  two  reasons.  First,  because  it  put  Mr. 
Quimby  in  possession  of  those  clues  which  he  was  to  follow 
until  he  rejected  the  hypotheses  of  mesmerism  and  animal 
magnetism,  and  developed  a  theory  and  method  of  his  own; 
second,  because  the  assertion  has  been  made  that  he  never 
passed  out  of  this  period,  but  remained  until  his  death  a 
mere  mesmerist  and  magnetic  healer  (whatever  that  may  be). 
The  fact  that  there  was  a  long  intermediate  period,  1847-59, 
will  be  a  surprise  to  those  who  have  supposed  that  one  could 
suddenly  acquire  ideas  and  methods  of  greatest  value.  The 
fact  of  a  gradual  mental  and  spiritual  development  will  be 
to  some  the  conclusive  evidence  that  they  are  learning  the 
full  "true  history"  of  the  discovery  of  Christian  Science. 

The  "Quimby  writings"  are  now  published  because  they  are 
unquestionally  the  most  important  contributions  to  the  sub- 
ject, because  they  show  how  the  modern  theory  and  practice 
of  spiritual  healing  came  into  being.  From  the  point  of 
mere  arguments  in  the  light  of  history  these  writings  were 
surpassed  by  the  works  of  Rev.  W.  F.  Evans,  who  acquired 
Quimby's  ideas  when  a  patient  under  his  care  in  Portland, 
in  1863.  The  underlying  theory  has  been  greatly  elaborated 
since  his  time.  The  same  ideas  and  methods  have  been 
applied  in  fields  which  he  did  not  enter.  Quimby  was,  if 
you  please,  a  pioneer  and  specialist,  devoted  to  truth  as  his 
own  insight  led  to  it,  without  regard  to  prior  teachings  save 
those  of  the  New  Testament.  But  it  still  remains  impres- 
sively significant  that  entirely  alone  in  an  unfriendly  age,  he 
acquired  ideas  and  discovered  methods  which  gave  him  title 
to  fame.  His  writings  therefore  have  a  special  value  of  their 
own. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  17 

We  have  incorporated  some  of  Quimby's  letters  in  the 
volume  because  they  prepare  the  way  for  the  articles  and 
essays  by  showing  Quimby's  great  love  for  facts.  In  these 
letters  Quimby  shows  himself  a  friend  of  the  sick.  He  tells 
his  patients  precisely  where  they  stand  in  suph  a  way  as  to 
encourage  true  faith  and  well-grounded  hope.  He  writes 
about  symptoms  in  some  detail  because  his  patients  must 
first  know  that  they  are  getting  well  physically,  because  they 
need  tangible  evidence,  and  do  not  yet  understand  how  he 
can  diagnose  their  cases  intuitively  and  heal  them  at  a  dis- 
tance. He  shows  that  he  wishes  those  only  as  patients  who 
will  take  him  in  entire  good  faith,  responding  willingly  to 
his  efforts.  Hence  he  returns  money  when  patients  seem  to 
be  purchasing  his  skill  as  healer.  He  aims  above  all  to  point 
the  way  to  his  Truth  or  Science. 

Disciples  of  mental  healing  who  have  taken  their  clues 
from  Divine  Science  or  Mrs.  Eddy's  version  will  think  they 
are  hearing  about  an  inferior  theory,  because  matters  of  fact 
.are  made  prominent  in  Quimby's  writings  instead  of  the 
/  anticipated  idealism  and  the  affirmations  or  denials  to  which 
they  are  accustomed.  But  they'  are  likely  to  be  unmindful 
of  the  unfriendly  age  in  which  Quimby  worked,  if  not  neglect- 
ful of  a  larger  truth.  Quimby,  with  far-reaching  insight, 
grasped  the  whole  situation,  and  looked  through  existing 
conditions  to  the  ideal.  This  is  a  much  more  courageous 
venture  than  the  denial  of  actuality  in  fondness  for  the  ' 
•  abstract.  Quimby's  standard  calls  for  a  Science  that  can 
beliemonstrated,  can  prove  itself  thoroughly  Christian  in 
thought,  life,  interpretatioii  of  Scripture,  and  all.  It 
will  send  us  back  to  the  Gospel  anew  to  ask  why  the  process 
of  coming  to  judgment  is  essential  to  spiritual  rebirth,  why 
we  must  adopt  life  as  given  in  its  fulness  in  order  to  enter- 
tain as  ideal  "the  Christ."  We  will  then  see  why  Quimby 
never  denied  the  existence  of  the  natural  world,  although 
sometimes  referring  to  it  as  a  mere  shadow,  and  contending 
that  matter  contains  no  inteUigence.  We  will  also  note  that 
he  assigns  "mind"  to  a  very  subordinate  position  in  contrast 
with  spirit,  since  his  investigations  had  shown  him  that  the 
average  mind  is  subject  to  opinions,  it  is  indeed  a  "mind  of 
opinions,"  later  called  by  Mrs.  Eddy  "mortal  mind."  Then  we 
shall  find  him  turning  to  that  Wisdom  which  sees  through 


18  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

all  opinions  or  errors,  dissipating  them  in  favor  of  Science. 
The  truth  he  sought  to  establish  was  a  concretely  verifiable 
truth,  written  in  the  human  heart  and  in  the  Word  which 
Jesus  taught.  Consequently,  what  was  needed  was  not  mere 
affirmation  but  real  understanding,  like  workable  knowledge 
of  mathemetics. 

To  read  deeply  in  these  writings  is  to  see  that  the  best  use 
one  can  make  of  them  is  to  cultivate  the  mode  of  life  they 
call  for,  a  life  which  looks  forward  to  health  and  freedom, 
productivity  and  an  old  age  that  is  never  old.  Quimby  laid 
down  his  life  in  over-sacrifice  to  those  needing  to  be  led  into 
this  life  of  the  Spirit.  His  work  quickened  a  deeply  spiritual 
impetus  in  those  followers  who  spread  his  ideas  in  the  world. 
It  is  primarily  a  question  of  this  spiritual  impetus,  if  we 
would  understand  the  discovery  of  spiritual  healing.  His 
teachings  are  true  if  they  do  indeed  contain  a  Science  which 
inculcates  creative  humility. 

Those  who  have  supposed  that  Quimby  borrowed  from 
Berkeley  or  Swedenborg  will  see  why  this  could  not  have  been 
the  case.  Quimby  was  not  a  reader  of  philosophy  or  theology. 
He  was  not  in  any  sense  a  borrower,  after  he  took  up  the 
theory  of  mesmerism  and  found  how  meagre  was  the  sup- 
posed science,  and  branched  out  into  the  field  of  his  own  in- 
vestigations. His  experience  in  practising  the  silent  method 
of  spiritual  healing,  after  1847,  led  the  way  to  his  idea  of 
God  as  indwelling  Wisdom,  as  we  find  it  expressed  in  his 
best  essays. 

This  same  practice  led  to  his  view  of  matter  and  the  natural 
world  in  general  as  a  subordinate  expression  of  Spirit,  in 
contrast  with  the  eternal  inner  life  of  man.  His  conversations 
with  patients  tended  to  awaken  faith  in  the  same  great 
Wisdom  which  to  him  was  the  source  of  all  guidance  and  all 
true  knowledge.  The  prime  result,  he  believed,  would  be  a 
"Science  of  Life  and  Happiness"  which  could  be  taught  even 
to  children,  and  which  will  banish  all  error  from  the  world. 


n 

HISTORY   OF  THE  MANUSCRIPTS 

To  many  it  seems  strange  indeed  that  the  publication  of 
the  Quimby  manuscripts  has  been  so  long  delayed.  As  far 
back  as  1882,  Mr.  Julius  Dresser  began  to  make  it  publicly 
known  in  Boston  that  the  writings  existed,  and  that  when 
published  they  would  disclose  the  real  history  of  the  dis- 
covery of  spiritual  healing.  Naturally,  there  was  a  strong 
desire  to  have  them  published.  In  his  pamphlet,  "The  True 
History  of  Mental  Science,"  issued  in  1887,  Mr.  Dresser 
expressed  the  opinion  that  "no  such  depth  of  understanding 
has  yet  seen  the  light  in  print  as  those  manuscripts  contain," 
that  is,  on  the  subject  of  spiritual  healing.  It  was  not  Mr. 
Dresser's  privilege  at  tliat  time  to  publish  more  than  one 
of  the  articles,  and  the  best  he  could  do  was  to  give  a  good 
reason  why  Dr.  Quimby  had  no  opportunity  to  revise  the  writ- 
ings before  publication  prior  to  his  death. 

"I  think  I  see  a  wisdom  in  nearly  everything,"  said 
Mr.  Dresser.  "If  those  writings  had  been  published,  as  Dr. 
Quimby  intended,  or  even  at  any  time  since,  previous  to  now, 
they  would  have  found  a  public  unprepared  for  them.  There- 
fore they  are  in  the  hands  of  a  person  whose  sympathies 
are  not  stirred  by  a  work  in  the  truth,  as  some  of  ours  are, 
to  issue  them  before  their  time.  But  those  manuscripts  will 
be  published  at  a  future  day." 

We  had  a  copy  of  the  manuscripts  in  the  household  until 
1893,  when  by  arrangement  with  Mr.  George  Quimby,  the 
owner,  this  copy  was  sent  to  Belfast  to  be  kept  with  the 
other  copies.  The  household  copy  was  used  in  connection 
with  instruction  in  classes,  and  from  time  to  time  portions  of 
the  articles  were  read  in  the  classes  on  spiritual  healing. 
But  we  were  not  permitted  to  give  the  writings  further  public- 
ity. We  frequently  urged  their  owner  to  publish  them,  but 
Mr.  Quimby  did  not  believe  the  right  time  had  come.  When 
we  compiled  "The  Philosophy  of  P.  P.  Quimby,"  in  1895,  we 

19 


20  HISTORY  OF  THE  MANUSCRIPTS 

were  still  unable  to  secure  the  right  to  print  more  than  brief 
excerpts  from  two  of  the  manuscript  volumes,  since  Mr. 
Quimby  did  not  wish  any  essay  printed  in  full  till  all  the  chief 
writings  should  be  published.  Many  efforts  were  made  as  the 
years  passed  to  secure  further  privileges.  Mr.  Quimby  was 
frequently  besought  by  interested  people,  clergymen,  writers, 
healers  and  editors,  some  of  whom  traveled  to  Belfast  to 
argue  the  point.  Mr.  Quimby  answered  all  letters  courteously, 
sometimes  giving  his  reasons  at  length,  and  explaining  his 
father's  ideas ;  but  he  stoutly  refused  to  publish  the  writings. 

Many  rumors  could  have  been  denied  had  he  relented.  For 
example,  it  could  have  been  conclusively  shown  that  nothing 
whatever  was  settled  by  a  suit  in  court  in  1883  concerning 
these  writings,  for  the  simple  reason  that  the  owner  declined 
to  have  them  taken  into  court.  Ever  since  that  suit  took  place 
rumors  have  been  persistently  started  to  the  effect  that  the 
writings  were  proved  not  to  exist.  Again,  it  would  have  been 
shown  once  for  all  in  what  respects  Mrs.  Eddy  was  indebted 
to  Dr.  Quimby  for  ideas  and  methods.  Many  misunderstand- 
ings have  arisen  because  the  writings  were  not  published,  and 
all  these  must  now  gradually  be  cleared  away,  as  matters  are 
put  in  their  true  light  by  the  publication  of  the  present 
volume. 

Mr.  Quimby  gave  abundant  evidence  to  honest  inquirers 
to  show  that  he  actually  possessed  the  writings,  and  that  they 
were  genuine.  But  it  was  still  necessary  for  those  of  us  who 
knew  the  facts  at  first  hand  to  explain  the  matter  to  those 
who  came  to  inquire.  With  one  exception  we  had  not  seen 
any  of  the  manuscript  books  between  1893  and  1921,  and 
inquirers  had  to  take  our  word  for  it  that  the  writings 
existed. 

Although  there  was  a  tacit  understanding  between  us  with 
regard  to  the  publication  of  the  writings  when  certain  con- 
ditions should  be  fulfilled,  Mr.  Quimby  died  several  years  ago 
without  making  provision  for  the  disposition  of  them.  When 
"A  History  of  the  Xew  Thouglit  Movement"  was  published, 
in  1919,  I  could  do  no  more  than  express  the  hope  tliat  I 
might  print  the  manuscripts  at  some  future  time.  At  last 
the  way  opened  in  December,  1920,  for  the  publishing  of  those 
portions  of  the  writings  which  have  historical  or  permanent 
value.  Mr.  Quimby  wished  liis  father's  Mss.  to  be  published 
when  their  truth  could  be  established  without  furthur  contro- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  MANUSCRIPTS  21 

versies  or  misstatements.  He  knew  that  I  was  acquainted  with 
their  history  from  the  beginning,  knew  those  who  copied  the 
writings,  knew  that  they  were  authentic,  and  that  they  were 
not  the  "first  scribblings"  of  any  other  person.  It  was  the 
wish  of  the  family  that  I  should  do  the  editing  and  annotat- 
ing. 

As  the  statement  has  been  made  that  some  one  else  served 
as  Dr.  Quimby's  secretary,  revising  and  copying  his  manu- 
scripts for  him,  or  giving  him  her  own  writings,  it  is  necessary 
to  state  once  more  that  his  son  George  was  the  secretary 
during  the  period  in  question,  in  Portland,  1859-60,  while 
the  copying  was  done  either  by  him  or  by  the  Misses  Ware,  of 
Portland.  George  Quimby  explained  how  this  came  about  in 
his  article  in  the  New  England  Magazine,  March,  1888. 
His  statement  is  as  follows : 

"Among  his  earlier  patients  in  Portland  were  the  Misses 
Ware,  daughters  of  the  late  Judge  Ashur  Ware,  of  the  United 
States  Supreme  Court;  and  they  became  much  interested  in 
'the  Truth/  as  he  called  it.  But  the  ideas  were  so  new,  and 
his  reasoning  so  divergent  from  the  popular  conceptions,  that 
they  found  it  difficult  to  follow  him  or  remember  all  he  said; 
and  they  suggested  to  him  the  propriety  of  putting  into  writing 
the  body  of  his  thoughts. 

"From  that  time  on  he  began  to  write  out  his  ideas,  which 
practice  he  continued  until  his  death,  the  articles  now  being 
in  the  possession  of  the  writer  of  this  sketch.  The  original 
copy  he  would  give  to  the  Misses  Ware;  and  it  would  be  read 
to  him  by  them,  and,  if  he  suggested  any  alteration,  it  would 
be  made,  after  which  it  would  be  copied  by  the  i\risses  Ware 
or  the  writer  of  this ;  and  then  reread  to  him,  that  he  might 
see  that  all  was  Just  as  he  intended  it.  Not  even  the  most 
trival  word  or  the  construction  of  a  sentence  would  be  changed 
without  consulting  him.  He  was  given  to  repetition;  and  it 
was  with  difficulty  that  he  could  be  induced  to  have  a  repeated 
sentence  or  phrase  striken  out,  as  he  would  say,  *If  that  idea 
is  a  good  one,  and  true,  it  will  do  no  harm  to  have  it  in  two 
or  three  times.' " 

It  will  be  seen  then  with  what  care  the  exact  wishes  of  Dr. 
Quimby  were  carried  out.  The  manuscript  books  were  loaned 
to  some  extent  by  the  Misses  Ware,  Mrs.  Sabine  and  Mr. 
Dresser,  but  only  when  they  deemed  it  wise  and  under  con- 


22  UISTORY  OF  TEE  MANUSCRIPTS 

ditions.  The  copies  were  kept  in  security  after  Dr.  Quimby's 
death  so  that  tlieir  teachings  should  be  given  to  people  who 
appreciated  them,  and  so  that  they  should  not  be  published 
before  the  right  time.  Thus  the  few  came  to  know  that  they 
existed.  From  the  Misses  Ware  we  had  abundant  opportunity 
to  leam  the  method  of  producing  and  copying  the  writings  as 
above  described. 

Mr.  A.  J.  Swarts,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  movement 
now  known  as  New  Thought,  took  pains  to  investigate  the 
facts  in  order  to  clear  away  misapprehensions  which  prevailed 
concerning  the  discovery  of  Christian  Science.  Mr.  Swarts 
had  nothing  against  Mrs.  Eddy  nor  any  reason  for  defending 
Dr.  Quimby  except  to  bring  out  the  truth.  After  visiting 
Belfast,  where  he  had  opportunity  to  read  excerpts  from  the 
press  concerning  Quimby's  work  and  to  hear  portions  of  the 
manuscripts  read  by  George  Quimby,  Mr.  Swarts  published 
his  findings  in  the  Mental  Science  Magazine,  Chicago,  April, 
1888.^  Learning  that  the  facts  of  her  indebtness  to  Quimby 
were  becoming  known  through  the  endeavors  of  Mr.  Swarts, 
Mrs.  Eddy  sent  from  Boston  over  her  own  signature  to  the 
Portland  Daily  Press,  while  Mr.  Swarts  was  in  Portland, 
a  paid  article  called  an  "Important  Offer."  Among  other 
things,  Mrs.  Eddy  offered  to  pay  the  cost  of  printing  the 
Quimby  manuscripts,  the  qualification  being,  in  Mrs.  Eddy's 
own  words,  "provided  that  I  am  allowed  first  to  examine  said 
manuscripts,  and  that  I  find  they  were  P.  P.  Quimby's  own 
compositions,  and  not  mine  that  were  left  with  him  many 
years  ago,  or  that  they  have  not  since  his  death,  in  1865,  been 
stolen  from  my  published  works."  Inasmuch  as  everything 
depended  on  her  own  decision,  of  course  no  attention  was 
paid  to  this  offer.  Eeaders  interested  to  follow  this  contro- 
versy in  detail  will  be  able  to  do  so  by  means  of  the  summary 
in  the  Appendix.  They  will  then  see  that  with  the  publica- 
tion of  this  volume  the  matter  has  become  one  of  "internal 
evidence,"  since  the  writings  show  plainly  that  they  were  pro- 
duced by  a  mind  of  Dr.  Quimby's  type  as  that  mind  has  been 
characterized  by  those  who  knew  him  intimately,  hence  that 
the  manuscripts  could  not  have  been  the  products  of  the  one 
who  claimed  to  have  written  them. 

1  Reprinted   in   "The   True  History   of   Mental   Science,"   revised 
edition,  1899. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  MANUSCRIPTS  23 

Most  of  the  writings  were  produced  prior  to  October  1862, 
the  later  articles  being  mostly  repetitions  of  earlier  statements 
and  on  the  whole  not  so  clear.  All  the  significant  terms  and 
expressions  such  as  Science,  Science  or  Christ,  Science  of 
Health,  the  Science  of  Life  and  Happiness,  were  in  regular 
use  by  18G1.  No  patient  of  Quimby's  could  have  explained 
to  him  in  1862  that  there  was  a  "deeper  principle"  than 
magnetism  or  mesmerism  underlying  his  cures,  for  he  had 
come  to  that  conclusion  himself  in  1847,  when  he  gave  up  his 
former  practice.  Xor  would  this  patient  have  undertaken  to 
explain  away  his  "manipulations,"  because  she  knew  that  the 
occasional  rubbing  of  the  head  was  no  essential  part  of  the 
treatment.  In  The  Evening  Courier  and  the  Portland  Adver- 
tiser, Mrs.  Eddy  committed  herself  publicly  to  the  view  that 
Quimby's  works  were  wrought  by  the  Christ-principle,  in 
contrast  with  the  idea  that  he  healed  as  did  spiritists,  mes- 
merisers  and  magnetic  healers.  After  Quimby's  death  she 
made  good  this  view  of  his  work  by  writing  her  "Lines  on  the 
Death  of  Dr.  P.  P.  Quimby,  who  healed  with  the  Truth  that 
Christ  taught,  in  contradistinction  to  all  isms."  The  internal 
evidences  show  that  this  estimate  was  the  true  one,  and  that 
every  adverse  opinion  since  circulated  has  been  created  since 
1872. 

The  most  important  date  in  the  whole  history  might  be 
called  January  7, 1921,  when  there  came  into  the  editor's  hands 
the  entire  collection  of  letters,  original  writings,  copies,  and 
the  other  material  so  carefully  preserved  since  the  death  of 
Dr.  Quimby.  I  went  through  the  entire  collection  in  the 
spirit  of  fresh  investigation.  Some  of  the  material  I  had  never 
seen,  and  the  collection  proved  richer  in  valuable  data  than 
I  had  thought.  The  rest  I  had  not  seen  for  twenty-seven 
years,  with  the  exception  referred  to  above.  I  give  the  facts 
concerning  all  this  material  as  thus  found. 

The  material  consisted  of  the  following:  (1)  Original 
manuscripts  of  articles  and  letters  in  P.  P.  Quimby's  hand- 
writing, with  his  own  spelling,^  and  no  changes  made  by  any 
other  hand  ;  (2)  6  manuscript  books  containing  revised  articles 
copied  by  the  Misses  Ware  and  George  Quimby,  with  emenda- 
tions made  here  and  there  by  these  writers  under  the  direction 

1  See  the  facsimile  of  George  Quimby's  writing  on  the  wrapper 
at  the  end  of  this  volume. 


24  HISTORY  OF  THE  MANUSCRIPTS 

of  Dr.  Quimby;  (3)  3  sets  of  manuscript  books  containing 
the  copies  formerly  belonging  to  Miss  Sarah  Ware,  Mrs.  Sabine 
(formerly  Miss  S.  M.  Deering,  Dr.  Quimby's  patient),  and 
Julius  A.  Dresser;  (4)  a  manuscript  book  of  pieces  by  Dr. 
Quimby  prior  to  1856,  Dr.  Quimby's  letters  to  patients,  1860, 
and  ^liss  Emma  Ware's  catalogue  of  all  the  articles,  1859-65; 
(5)  the  private  journal  of  Lucius  Burkmar,  1843,  Quimby's 
"subject"  in  his  mesmeric  period;  (6)  miscellaneous  notes, 
letters  and  articles  in  separated  sheets,  copied  from  the  origi- 
nals on  these  sheets  before  being  copied  into  books;  (7) 
letters  of  patients  to  Dr.  Quimby,  including  14  by  Mrs  Eddy, 
tnen  ^Irs.  Patterson,  and  letters  by  Dr.  Patterson;  (8) 
Quimby^s  letters  to  patients  after  1860;  (9)  3  copies  for 
circulation  of  Quimby's  "Answers  to  Questions,"  1862,  with 
George  Quimby's  note  on  one  of  them  tliat  these  were  writ- 
ten before  Mrs.  Eddy  visited  Mr.  Quimby  as  patient; 
and  (10)  newspaper  scrapbook  of  articles  about  Dr.  Quimby, 
1840-65.  There  was  also  placed  at  my  disposal  the  entire 
correspondence  between  George  Quimby  and  inquirers  and 
critics,  as  well  as  all  newspaper  and  magazine  articles  on  the 
Christian  Science  controversy  to  date.  And  the  material  put 
into  my  hands  was  all  that  had  existed,  save  that  it  was 
customary  to  destroy  articles  in  their  first  form  after  they  had 
been  revised  in  consultation  with  the  Misses  Ware  and  copied 
as  before  indicated.  P.  P.  Quimby's  handwriting  is  distinc- 
tive, unmistakable,  as  the  facsimiles  show.  So  too  is  that  of 
Miss  Emma  Ware,  Miss  Sarah  Ware  and  George  Quimby. 

Having  all  the  material  at  hand,  every  page  or  line  of  it 
whatsoever,  I  am  able  not  only  to  corroborate  all  statements 
made  by  George  Quimby  concerning  the  manuscripts,  but  to 
state  facts  which  he  did  not  mention  in  print.  I  have  read 
carefully  through  all  the  original  manuscripts,  which  were 
copied  by  George  Quimby  and  the  Misses  Ware,  and  have 
taken  note  in  conscientious  detail  to  see  if  any  revisions  or 
changes  were  in  the  handwriting  of  Mrs.  Eddy,  then  Mrs.  Pat- 
terson: there  is  not  a  page,  a  sentence  or  word  that  hears  evi- 
dence of  any  such  thing,  all  revisions  or  changes  having  been 
made  by  the  Misses  Ware  as  already  described.  There  is  not 
anywhere  a  page  or  even  a  line  of  her  own  by  Mrs.  Patterson- 
Eddy,  no  "first  scribblings."  Her  name  is  not  written  on 
the  back  of  any  page.     Nor  is  there  any  evidence  of  any  idea 


HISTORY  OF  TEE  MANUSCRIPTS  25 

that  might  have  been  suggested  by  her,  had  she  been  in  a  state 
to  make  any  suggestions  of  value.  Instead,  there  is  an  assem- 
blage of  writings  that  would  have  filled  her  mind  with  chagrin 
had  she  realized  how  fully  Quimby's  ideas  were  developed,  long 
before  she  ever  saw  him.^  There  is  all  the  material  any  one 
could  desire  to  make  the  argument  irrefragible. 

The  writings  were  plainly  the  work  of  one  mind,  with  con- 
tinuity of  thought  from  first  to  last.  Even  the  unfinished 
fragments  are  of  interest,  for  they  indicate  the  state  of  mind  of 
their  author.  Dr.  Quimby  tells  us  that  he  frequently  wrote 
when  "excited"  by  learning  how  greatly  his  patients  had 
suflfered  from  bondage  to  priestcraft.  Consequently  at  times 
he  did  not  even  capitalize  the  first  personal  pronoun,  but 
started  in  at  once  with  the  main  idea.  Quimby  wrote  as  he 
thought.  If  his  thought  comprised  several  subjects  at  once, 
he  wrote  so,  seldom  pausing  to  indicate  paragraphs.  The 
copyists  would  then  suggest  changes  here  and  there  to  bring 
out  his  meaning,  not  to  interpose  any  view  of  their  own ;  for 
they  knew  his  thought  exceedingly  well,  his  peculiar  use  of 
words,  and  whatever  was  part  of  his  style.  The  titles  were 
suggested  in  conference  with  the  author,  although  some  of 
the  articles  remained  unnamed  till  after  Quimby's  death, 
and  a  few  bear  more  than  one  title  in  different  stages  of 
revision.  The  dates  were  entered  in  the  book  when  the 
articles  were  copied. 

With  his  characteristic  humor,  George  Quimby  sometimes 
wrote  at  the  close  of  an  article  copied  on  detached  pages, 
"Finished,  thank  the  Lord ;  G.  Q.,  scribe."  If  there  were 
miscellaneous  pages  of  notes  or  any  other  statement  by  herself 
or  her  sister.  Miss  Emma  \Yare  was  careful  to  write  on  tlie 
margin,  "Xot  Dr.  Quimby's."  All  these  little  matters  are 
significant,  for  they  show  the  fidelity  of  those  who  did  their 
part  to  transmit  these  writings  intact.  A  few  of  the  articles 
were  copied  after  Quimby's  death,  by  Miss  Emma  Ware.  In 
some  of  the  copy-books  a  few  alterations  had  been  made,  under 
Dr.  Quimby's  direction,  with  a  view  to  preparing  the  articles 
for  a  book.  Two  pages  from  Vol.  I  as  thus  revised  are 
reproduced  in  facsimile  at  the  end  of  this  volume. 

The  originals  and  first  copies  were  kept  in  his  safe  by 
George  Quimby,  and  the  other  copies  referred  to  above  were 

1  See,  for  example,  Chap.  XIV,  containing  Vol.   I. 


26  HISTORY  OF  THE  MANUSCRIPTS 

returned  to  Mr.  Quimlby  after  the  death  of  their  sometime 
owners.  Visitors  and  correspondents  would  labor  to  persuade 
him  that  he  was  keeping  the  truth  from  the  world.  But  he 
believed  he  was  faithful  to  the  greater  good  in  withholding  the 
writings  until  the  last  echo  of  the  controversy  had  died 
away.  After  his  death  the  writings  were  kept  in  storage  in 
a  bank,  and  there  they  remained  secure  until  January  1921.^ 

1  For  a  complete  list  of  the  pieces  and  articles,  see  Appendix.  Tlie 
package  of  articles  and  pieces  on  separate  sheets  mentioned  above 
bears  this  inscription  on  the  outside,  "First  copies  from  Father's 
original  manuscripts,  afterwards  copied  into  blank  books  by  Emma 
G.  Ware,  Sarah  Ware,  George  A.  Quimby."  This  is  written  in  George 
Quimby's  hand.  The  complete  list  of  the  articles  is  in  the  hand- 
writing of  Miss  Emma  Ware. 


Ill 

quimby's  restoration  to  health 

Ideally  speaking  it  is  of  secondary  consequence  where  an 
original  mind  begins  to  investigate  human  life.  What  sig- 
nifies is  the  searching  thought  which  discloses  real  condi- 
tions, laws,  the  causes  of  our  misery  and  the  way  to  free- 
dom. Such  thinking  is  likely  to  be  productive  in  high  de- 
gree if  it  be  concrete,  adapted  to  the  actual  state  of  the 
world,  without  too  much  theorizing,  with  a  view  to  direct 
benefits. 

In  Mr.  Quimb/e  preliminary  researches  we  find  a  capital 
instance.  He  began  with  a  purely  conventional  point  of 
view,  defending  in  thought  and  attitude  the  prevailing  medi- 
cal practice  of  the  day,  and  so  he  took  the  world  as  he 
found  it.  Moreover,  he  had  a  personal  need.  This  is  the 
way  he  states  the  situation  he  was  in  in  an  article  already 
published  in  part  in  "The  True  History  of  Mental  Science."  * 

"Can  a  theory  be  found,  capable  of  practice,  which  can 
separate  truth  from  error?  I  undertake  to  say  there  is  a 
method  of  reasoning  which,  being  understood,  can  sepa- 
rate one  from  the  other.  Men  never  dispute  about  a  fact 
that  can  be  demonstrated  by  scientific  reasoning.  Contro- 
versies arise  from  some  idea  that  has  been  turned  into  a 
false  direction,  leading  to  a  false  position.  The  basis  of  my 
reasoning  is  this  point:  that  whatever  is  true  to  a  person, 
if  he  cannot  prove  it,  is  not  necessarily  true  to  another. 
Therefore,  because  a  person  says  a  thing  is  no  reason  that 
he  says  true.  The  greatest  evil  that  follows  taking  an  opin- 
ion for  a  truth  is  disease.  Let  medical  and  religious  opinions, 
which  produce  so  vast  an  amount  of  misery,  be  tested  by 
the  rule  I  have  laid  down,  and  it  will  be  seen  how  much 
they  are  founded  in  truth.  For  twenty  years  I  have  been 
testing  them,  and  I  have  failed  to  find  one  single  principle 
of  truth  in  either.     This  is  not  from  any  prejudice  against 

1  By  Julius  A.  Dresser,  1887, 

27 


28         QVIMBY'S  RESTORATION  TO  HEALTH 

the  medic;al  faculty,  for,  when  I  began  to  investigate  the 
mind,  I  was  entirely  on  that  side.  I  was  prejudiced  in 
favor  of  the  medical  faculty;  for  I  never  employed  any 
one  outside  of  tlio  regular  faculty,  nor  took  the  least  par- 
ticle of  quack  medicine. 

"Some  thirty  years  ago  I  was  very  sick,  and  was  consid- 
iM'ed  fast  wasting  away  with  consumption.^  At  that  time 
I  became  so  low  that  it  was  with  difficulty  I  could  walk 
al)out.  I  was  all  the  while  under  the  allopathic  practice, 
and  I  had  taken  so  much  calomel  that  my  system  was  said 
to  be  poisoned  with  it;  and  I  lost  many  of  my  teeth  from 
that  effect.  My  symptoms  were  those  of  any  consumptive; 
and  I  had  been  told  that  my  liver  was  affected  and  my 
kidneys  were  diseased,  and  that  my  lungs  were  nearly  con- 
sumed. I  believed  all  this,  from  the  fact  that  I  had  all 
the  sjTnptoms,  and  could  not  resist  the  opinions  of  the 
physician  w^hile  having  the  proof  with  me.  In  this  state 
I  was  compelled  to  abandon  my  business;  and,  losing  all 
hope,  I  gave  up  to  die, — not  that  I  thought  the  medical  fac- 
ulty had  no  wisdom,  but  that  my  case  was  one  that  could 
not  be  cured. 

"Having  an  acquaintance  who  cured  himself  by  riding 
horseback,  I  thought  I  would  try  riding  in  a  carriage,  as 
I  was  too  weak  to  ride  horseback.  My  horse  was  contrary; 
and  once,  when  about  two  miles  from  home,  he  stopped  at 
the  foot  of  a  long  hill,  and  would  not  start  except  as  I  went 
by  his  side.  So  I  was  obliged  to  run  nearly  the  whole  dis- 
tance. Having  reached  the  top  of  the  hill  I  got  into  the 
carriage ;  and,  as  I  was  very  much  exhausted,  I  concluded 
to  sit  there  the  balance  of  the  day,  if  the  horse  did  not 
start.  Like  all  sickly  and  nervous  people,  I  could  not  re- 
main easy  in  that  place;  and,  seeing  a  man  ploughing,  I 
waited  till  he  had  ploughed  around  a  three-acre  lot,  and 
got  within  sound  of  my  voice,  when  I  asked  him  to  start 
my  horse.  He  did  so,  and  at  the  time  I  was  so  weak  I 
could  scarcely  lift  my  whip.  But  excitement  took  possession 
of  my  senses,  and  I  drove  the  horse  as  fast  as  he  could 
go,  up  hill  and  down,  till  I  reached  home;  and,  when  I 
got  into  the  stable,  I  felt  as  strong  as  I  ever  did." 

Here,  then,  was  a  significant  fact,  this  reaction  produced 

I  This  statement  was  written  in  1863. 


QUIMBY'S  RESTORATION  TO  HEALTH         29 

by  excitement,  suggesting  that  medical  diagnosis  was  wrong. 
No  other  experience  seems  to  have  followed  tliis  one,  and 
when  Quimby  began  to  experiment  with  mesmerism  he 
still  accepted  the  prevailing  medical  theories.  So,  too,  he 
began  by  taking  devotees  of  mesmerism  at  their  own  word, 
since  that  appeared  to  be  the  best  way  to  leam  the  truth  con- 
cerning their  phenomena. 

There  are  two  reasons  for  bearing  these  facts  in  mind,  first 
that  we  may  not€  how  far  he  travelled  to  the  point  where 
he  lost  all  faith  in  the  medical  faculty  and  proposed  a 
theory  of  disease  of  his  own;  second,  because  we  can  hardly 
understand  the  interests  of  his  intermediate  period  unless 
we  realize  that  he  was  still  in  process  and  had  not  at  first 
wholly  rejected  the  physical  theory  of  disease.  Some  other 
investigation  might  have  been  as  profitable  to  him.  The 
point  is  that  he  learned  so  much  from  liis  mesmeric  experi- 
ments that  he  gave  them  up  forever,  and  in  giving  them  up 
came  to  himself  and  found  a  new  truth  of  incalculable 
benefit  to  humanity. 

There  is  no  reason  for  apologizing  as  if  it  were  discredit- 
able that  Quimby  was  once  a  mesmerist  and  was  known 
through  his  ability  to  "magnetize"  a  patient  or  hypnotic 
subject.  There  was  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of  in  this  pro- 
cedure. The  only  unpardonable  thing  that  has  been  said 
about  him  is  that  he  was  "an  ignorant  mesmerist"  and  that 
he  remained  so.  Ignorant  he  was  not  by  any  means,  and  lie 
ceased  to  be  a  mesmerist  because  he  was  exceptionally  skilful, 
so  acute  in  exercising  his  powers  that  he  learned  the  limit- 
ations of  all  such  experiments. 

We  have  his  ovm  statement  to  the  effect  that  when  he  began 
to  investigate  mesmerism  he  was  still  an  entire  believer  in  the 
medical  science  and  practice  of  the  day.  We  also  have  his 
own  exposition  of  the  experiences  which  led  to  his  change  in 
point  of  view.  We  have  contemporary  testimony  to  his 
exceptional  powers  and  the  impression  produced  by  his  public 
experiments.  Then  too  we  have  the  testimony  of  his  son, 
George,  associated  with  his  father  as  secretary  when  the  mes- 
meric experiments  were  things  of  the  past.  Finally,  we 
have  the  direct  information  coming  to  us  from  those  who 
were  most  intimately  acquainted  with  Quimbys  practice  in 
his  later  years,  from  1859  to  1806  in  Portland. 

In  the  account  of  his  father's  life  published  in  the  Neio 
England  Magazine,  George  Quimby  says, 


30  QUIMBY'S  RESTORATION  TO  HEALTH 

"He  had  a  very  inventive  mind,  and  was  always  interested 
in  mechanics,  philosophy  and  scientific  subjects.  During  his 
middle  life,  he  invented  several  devices  on  which  he  obtained 
letters  patent.  He  was  very  argumentative,  and  always 
wanted  proof  of  anything,  rather  than  an  accepted  opinion. 
Anything  which  could  be  demonstrated  he  was  ready  to  ac- 
cept; but  he  would  combat  what  could  not  be  proved  with  all 
his  energy,  rather  than  admit  it  as  a  truth. 

"With  a  mind  of  this  combination,  it  is  not  strange  that, 
when  a  gentleman  visited  Belfast,  about  the  year  1838,  and 
gave  lectures  and  experiments  in  mesmerism,  Mr.  Quimby 
should  feel  deeply  interested  in  the  subject.  Here  was  a 
new,  to  him  at  least,  phenomenon;  and  he  at  once  began  to 
investigate  the  subject;  and  on  every  occasion  when  he  could 
find  a  person  who  would  allow  him  to  try,  he  would  endeavor 
to  put  him  into  a  mesmeric  sleep.  He  met  with  many  fail- 
ures, but  occasionally  would  find  a  person  whom  he  could 
influence. 

"At  that  time  Mr.  Quimby  was  of  medium  height,  small  in 
stature,  his  weight  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds, 
quick  motioned  and  nervous,  with  piercing  black  eyes,  black 
hair  and  whiskers;  a  well-shaped,  well-balanced  head;  high, 
broad  forehead,  and  a  rather  prominent  nose,  and  a  mouth 
indicating  strength  and  firmness  of  will;  persistent  in  what 
he  undertook,  and  yet  not  easily  defeated  or  discouraged. 

"In  the  course  of  his  trials  with  subjects,  he  met  with  a 
young  man  named  Lucius  Burkmar,  over  whom  he  had  the 
most  wonderful  influence ;  and  it  is  not  stating  it  too  strongly 
to  assert  that  with  him  he  made  some  of  the  most  astonishing 
exhibitions  of  mesmerism  and  clairvoyance  that  have  been 
given  in  modern  times. 

"At  the  beginning  of  these  experiments,  Mr.  Quimby 
firmly  believed  that  the  phenomenon  was  the  result  of  animal 
magnetism,  and  that  electricity  had  more  or  less  to  do  with 
it.  Holding  to  this,  he  was  never  able  to  perform  his  experi- 
ments with  satisfactory  results  when  the  'conditions'  were  not 
right,  as  he  believed  they  should  be. 

"For  instance,  during  a  thunder-storm  his  trials  would 
prove  failures.  If  he  pointed  the  sharp  end  of  a  steel  instru- 
ment at  Lucius,  he  would  start  as  if  pricked  with  a  pin;  but 
when  the  blunt  end  was  pointed  toward  him,  he  would  remain 
unmoved. 


QUIMBY'S  RESTORATION  TO  HEALTH         31 

"One  evening,  after  making  some  experiment3  with  excel- 
lent results,  Mr.  Quimby  found  that  during  the  time  of  the 
tests  there  had  been  a  severe  thunder-storm,  but,  so  interested 
was  he  in  his  experiments,  he  had  not  noticed  it. 

"This  led  him  to  further  investigate  the  subject;  and  the 
results  reached  were  that,  instead  of  the  subject  being  influ- 
enced by  any  atmospheric  disturbance,  the  effects  produced 
were  brought  about  by  the  influence  of  one  mind  on  another. 
From  that  time  he  could  produce  as  good  results  during  a 
storm  as  in  pleasant  weather,  and  could  make  his  subject  start 
by  simply  pointing  a  finger  at  him  as  well  as  by  using  a 
steel  instrument. 

"Mr.  Quimby's  manner  of  operating  with  his  subject  was  to 
sit  opposite  to  him,  holding  both  his  hands  in  his,  and  looking 
him  intently  in  the  eye  for  a  short  time,  when  the  subject 
would  go  into  the  state  known  as  tihe  mesmeric  sleep, 
which  was  more  properly  a  peculiar  condition  of  mind  and 
body,  in  which  the  natural  senses  would,  or  would  not,  operate 
at  the  will  of  Mr.  Quimby.  WTien  conducting  his  experi- 
ments, all  communications  of  Mr.  Quimby  with  Lucius  were 
mentally  given,  the  subject  replying  as  if  spoken  to  aloud. 

"For  several  years,  Mr.  Quimby  traveled  with  young  Burk- 
mar  through  Maine  and  New  Brunswick,  giving  exhibitions, 
which  at  that  time  attracted  much  attention  and  secured 
notices  through  the  columns  of  the  newspapers. 

"It  should  be  remembered  that  at  the  time  Mr.  Quimby 
was  giving  these  exhibitions  .  .  .  the  phenomenon  was  looked 
upon  in  a  far  different  light  from  that  of  the  present  day. 
At  that  time  it  was  a  deception,  a  fraud,  a  humbug;  and 
Mr.  Quimby  was  vilified  and  frequently  threatened  with  mob 
violence,  as  the  exhibitions  smacked  too  strongly  of  witch- 
craft to  suit  the  people. 

"As  the  subject  gained  more  prominence,  thoughtful  men 
began  to  investigate  the  matter,  and  Mr.  Quimby  was  often 
called  upon  to  have  his  subject  examine  the  sick.  He  would 
put  Lucius  into  the  mesmeric  state,  and  prescribe  remedies 
for  its  cure.^ 

1  These  deacriptiona  and  the  remedies  prescribed  were  in  accord 
with  the  medical  practice  of  the  day,  as  Mr.  Quimby  was  not  yet  en- 
lightened in  regard  to  the  mental  factors  of  disease.  Tlic  discovery 
on  Mr.  Quimby's  part  that  mind  was  the  chief  consideration  marked 
a  turning-point  in  his  thought.     Ed. 


32  QVIMBY'S  RESTORATION  TO  HEALTH 

''After  a  time  Mr.  Quimby  became  convinced  that  whenever 
the  subject  examined  a  patient  his  diagnosis  of  the  case 
would  be  identical  with  what  either  the  patient  himself  or 
some  one  present  believed,  instead  of  Lucius  really  looking 
into  the  patient,  and  giving  the  true  condition  of  the  organs; 
in  fact,  that  he  was  reading  the  opinion  of  some  one,  rather 
than  stating  truth  acquired  by  himself. 

"Becoming  firmly  satisfied  that  this  was  the  case,  and 
having  seen  how  one  mind  could  influence  another,  and 
how  much  there  was  that  had  always  been  considered  as 
true,  but  was  merely  some  one's  opinion,  Mr.  Quimby  gave 
up  his  subject,  Lucius,  and  began  the  developing  of  what  is 
now  known  as  mental  healing,  or  curing  disease  through 
the  mind  .  .  . 

"While  engaged  in  his  mesmeric  experiments,  Mr.  Quimby 
became  more  and  more  convinced  that  disease  was  an  error 
of  the  mind,  and  not  a  real  thing.  As  the  truths  of  his  dis- 
covery began  to  develop,  and  grow  in  him,  just  in  the  same 
proportion  did  he  begin  to  lose  faith  in  the  efiicacy  of  mes- 
merism as  a  remedial  agent  in  the  cure  of  the  sick ;  and  after 
a  few  years  he  discarded  it  altogether. 

"Instead  of  putting  the  patient  into  a  mesmeric  sleep, 
Mr.  Quimby  would  sit  by  him;  and,  having  given  him  a 
detailed  account  of  what  his  troubles  were,  he  would  simply 
converse  with  him  and  explain  the  causes  of  the  troubles, 
and  thus  change  the  mind  of  the  patient  .  .  ." 

Despite  the  fact,  however,  that  Lucius  when  in  the  mes- 
meric sleep  would  often  read  what  was  in  the  mind  of  the 
patient  and  diagnose  the  case  according  to  opinions  ex- 
pressed by  physicans,  Lucius  also  discerned  at  other  times  the 
actual  state  of  the  body.  That  he  possessed  remarkable 
clairvoyant  power  in  such  cases  is  shown  by  experiments  in 
which  Lucius  described  events  and  things  at  a  distance, 
when  en  rapport  with  the  mind  of  some  one  in  the  audience 
who  thought  of  some  distant  place  which  he  wanted  Lucius 
to  visit.  There  is  also  documentary  evidence  to  show  that 
Lucius  could  accurately  describe  the  condition  of  the  body 
after  death. 

There  was  much  to  learn  from  these  experiments,  there- 
fore, besides  the  significant  fact  that  a  patient  would  often 
feel  in  regard  to  his  own  body  as  medical  diagnosis  suggested 
that  he  feel.     Lucius  would  sometimes  prescribe  a  remedy 


QUIMBY'S  RESTORATION  TO  HEALTH  33 

so  simple  or  so  absurd  that  Mr.  Quimby  saw  there  could  be 
no  virture  in  the  medicine.  Plainly,  both  the  disease  and 
its  cure  must  be  explained  on  another  basis.  This  we  see 
clearly  when  we  realize  that  Mr.  Quimby  himself  experienced 
the  benefits  of  the  clairvoyant  descriptions,  thereby  over- 
coming what  had  appeared  to  be  threatening  diseases,  although 
the   true  explanation   was   not  the  one   offered   by   Lucius. 

In  the  article  quoted  from  above,  written  when  Mr.  Quimby 
had  developed  and  proved  his  theory  of  disease  so  that  he  could 
look  back  and  understand  the  whole  phenomenon,  so  new 
and  at  first  so  baffling  in  his  mesmeric  period,  he  says, 

"When  I  commenced  to  mesmerise,  I  was  not  well,  accord- 
ing to  the  medical  science;  but  in  my  researches  I  found  a 
remedy  for  my  disease.  Here  was  where  I  first  discovered 
that  mind  was  capable  of  being  changed. 

"Also  that,  disease  being  a  deranged  state  of  mind,  the  cause 
I  found  to  exist  in  our  belief.  The  evidence  of  this  theory 
I  found  in  myself;  for,  like  all  others,  I  had  believed  in  medi- 
cine. Disease  and  its  power  over  life,  and  its  curability, 
are  all  embraced  in  our  belief.  Some  believe  in  various 
remedies,  and  others  believe  that  the  spirits  of  the  dead 
prescribe.  I  have  no  confidence  in  the  virtue  of  either.  I 
know  that  cures  have  been  made  in  these  ways.  I  do  not 
deny  them.  But  the  principle  on  which  they  are  done  is  the 
question  to  solve;  for  disease  can  be  cured,  with  or  without 
medicine,  on  but  one  principle.  I  have  said  I  believed  in 
the  old  practice  and  its  medicines,  the  effects  of  which  I 
had  within  myself ;  for,  knowing  no  other  way  to  account  for 
the  phenomena,  I  took  it  for  granted  that  they  were  the 
result  of  medicine. 

"With  this  mass  of  evidence  staring  me  in  the  face,  how 
could  I  doubt  the  old  practice?  Yet,  in  spite  of  all  my 
prejudices,  I  had  to  yield  to  a  stronger  evidence  than  man's 
opinion,  and  discard  the  whole  theory  of  medicine,  practised 
by  a  class  of  men,  some  honest,  some  ignorant,  some  selfish, 
and  all  thinking  that  the  world  must  be  ruled  by  their 
opinions. 

"Xow  for  my  particular  experience.  I  had  pains  in  the 
back,  which,  they  said,  were  caused  by  my  kidneys,  which 
were  partially  consumed.  I  also  was  told  that  I  had  ulcers  on 
my  lungs.  Under  this  belief,  I  was  miserable  enough  to  be  of 
no  account  in  the  world.     This  was  the  state  I  was  in  when 


34  QVIMBY'S  RESTORATION  TO  HEALTH 

I  commenced  to  mesmerise.  On  one  occasion,  when  I  had 
my  subject  [Lucius]  asleep,  he  described  the  pains  I  felt  in 
my  back  (I  had  never  dared  to  ask  him  to  examine  me,  for 
I  felt  sure  that  my  kidneys  were  nearly  gone)  and  he  placed 
his  hand  on  the  spot  where  I  felt  the  pain.  He  then  told 
me  that  my  kidneys  were  in  a  very  bad  state, — that  one  was 
half-consumed,  and  a  piece  three  inches  long  had  separated 
from  it,  and  was  only  connected  by  a  slender  thread.  This 
was  what  I  believed  to  be  true,  for  it  agreed  with  what  the 
doctors  told  me,  and  with  what  I  had  suffered;  for  I  had 
not  been  free  from  pain  for  years.  My  common  sense  told 
me  that  no  medicine  would  ever  cure  this  trouble,  and  there- 
fore I  must  suffer  till  death  relieved  me.  But  I  asked  him 
if  there  was  any  remedy.  He  replied,  ^Yes,  I  can  put  the 
piece  on  so  it  will  grow,  and  you  will  get  well.'  At  this 
I  was  completely  astonished,  and  knew  not  what  to  think. 
He  immediately  placed  his  hands  upon  me,  and  said  he 
united  the  pieces  so  they  would  grow.  The  next  day  he  said 
they  had  grown  together,  and  from  that  day  I  never  have 
experienced  the  least  pain  from  them. 

"Now  what  is  the  secret  of  the  cure?  I  had  not  the  least 
doubt  but  that  I  was  as  he  had  described ;  and,  if  he  had  said, 
as  I  expected  that  he  would,  that  nothing  could  be  done,  I 
should  have  died  in  a  year  or  so.  But,  when  he  said  he  could 
cure  me  in  the  way  he  proposed,  I  began  to  thinJi:  and  I 
discovered  that  I  had  been  deceived  into  a  belief  that  made 
me  sick.  The  absurdity  of  his  remedies  made  me  doubt  the 
fact  that  my  kidneys  were  diseased,  for  he  said  in  two  days 
they  were  as  well  as  ever.  If  he  saw  the  first  condition,  he 
also  saw  the  last;  for  in  both  cases  he  said  he  could  see.  I 
concluded  in  the  first  instance  that  he  read  my  thoughts, 
and  when  he  said  he  could  cure  me  he  drew  on  his  own  mind; 
and  his  ideas  were  so  absurd  that  the  disease  vanished  by 
the  absurdity  of  the  cure.  This  was  the  first  stumbling-block 
I  found  in  the  medical  science.  I  soon  ventured  to  let  him 
examine  me  furthur,  and  in  every  case  he  would  describe  my 
feelings,  but  would  vary  the  amount  of  disease;  and  his 
explanation  and  remedies  always  convinced  me  that  I  had 
no  such  disease,  and  that  my  troubles  were  of  my  own  make. 

"At  this  time  I  frequently  visited  the  sick  with  Lucius, 
by  invitation  of  the  attending  physician;  and  the  boy  exam- 
ined the  patient  and  told  facts  that  would  astonish  everybody. 


QUIMBY'S  RESTORATION  TO  HEALTH         35 

and  yet  every  one  of  them  was  believed.  For  instance,  he  told 
a  person  affected  as  I  had  been,  only  worse,  that  his  lungs 
looked  like  a  honeycomb,  and  his  liver  was  covered  with 
ulcers.  He  then  prescribed  some  simple  herb  tea,  and  the 
patient  recovered;  and  the  doctor  believed  the  medicine 
cured  him.  But  I  believed  that  the  doctor  made  the  dis- 
ease; and  [his  faith  in  the  boy  made  a  change  in  the 
mind,  and  the  cure  followed.  Instead  of  gaining  confidence 
in  the  doctors,  I  was  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  their 
science  is  false.  Man  is  made  up  of  truth  and  belief; 
and,  if  he  is  deceived  into  a  belief  that  he  has,  or  is 
liable  to  have,  a  disease,  the  belief  is  catching,  and  the  effect 
follows  it.  I  have  given  the  experience  of  my  emancipation 
from  this  belief  and  from  confidence  in  the  doctors,  so  that 
it  may  open  the  eyes  of  those  who  stand  where  I  was.  I 
have  risen  from  this  belief;  and  I  return  to  warn  my  breth- 
ren, lest,  when  they  are  disturbed,  they  shall  get  into  this 
place  of  torment  prepared  by  the  medical  faculty.  Having 
suffered  myself,  I  cannot  take  advantage  of  my  fellow-men 
by  introducing  a  new  mode  of  curing  disease  and  prescrib- 
ing medicine.  My  theory  exposes  the  hypocrisy  of  those 
who  undertake  to  cure  in  that  way.  They  make  ten  diseases 
to  one  cure,  thus  bringing  a  surplus  of  misery  into  the  world, 
and  shutting  out  a  healthy  state  of  society.  They  have  a 
monopoly,  and  no  theory  that  lessens  disease  can  compete 
with  them.  When  I  cure,  there  is  one  disease  the  less ;  but 
not  so  when  others  cure,  for  the  supply  of  sickness  shows 
that  there  is  more  disease  on  hand  than  there  ever  was. 
Therefore,  the  labor  for  health  is  slow,  and  the  manufacture 
of  disease  is  greater.  The  newspapers  teem  with  advertise- 
ments of  remedies,  showing  that  the  supply  of  disease  in- 
creases. My  theory  teaches  man  to  manufacture  health; 
and,  when  people  go  into  this  occupation,  disease  will  dimin- 
ish, and  those  who  furnish  disease  and  death  will  be  few  and 
scarce/' 


IV 

THE  MESMERIC  PERIOD 

Turning  for  the  time  being  from  the  direct  line  of  develop- 
ment of  Mr.  Quimhy's  views,  we  find  interesting  confir- 
mations of  his  experiments  in  newspaper  clippings  and 
letters  of  the  period,  1840-47.  The  first  of  these  are 
from  Quimhy's  home  town,  Belfast.  One  of  these  writers 
says,  in  part: 

"Before  we  proceed  to  describe  the  experiments,  we  will 
say  that  Mr.  Quimby  is  a  gentleman,  in  size  rather  smaller 
than  the  medium  of  men,  with  a  well-proportioned  and  well- 
balanced  phrenological  head,  and  with  the  power  of  concentra- 
tion surpassing  anything  we  have  ever  witnessed.  His 
eyes  are  black  and  very  piercing,  with  rather  a  pleasant 
expression,  and  he  possesses  the  power  of  looking  at  one 
object  even  without  winking,  for  a  length  of  time." 

Newspaper  writers  were  fair  on  the  whole  in  what  they  said 
of  him,  while  there  were  public-spirited  citizens  who  were 
ready  to  write  testimonials  to  physicians  and  other  citizens 
of  prominence  in  neighboring  towns,  that  Mr.  Quimby  might 
be  well  received.  In  these  testimonials  and  letters  one  finds 
the  terms  "mesmerism,"  "magnetism"  and  "animal  magnet- 
ism" used  interchangeably  without  much  idea  of  what  they 
stood  for.  Plainly  such  words  equalled  "x,"  as  symbols  for 
a  power  little  short  of  a  mystery,  although  Quimby  was 
credited  with  entire  honesty  in  performing  his  experiments. 
Apparently,  it  was  still  assumed  that  by  making  passes  over  a 
man's  head  he  could  be  put  to  sleep  by  means  of  some 
"fluid."  Hence  interest  centered  about  material  facts,  and 
there  was  no  recognition  of  the  fact,  now  a'commonplace,  that 
the  human  mind  is  amenable  to  suggestion,  and  that  supposed 
magnetic  effects  are  mere  products  of  one  mind  on  another. 
The  mesmeric  sleep  was  not  understood,  and  so  it  was  an 
easy  matter  to  speak  of  the  subject  as  "magnetised."  The 
chief  value,  therefore,  of  these  contemporary  references  is 
found  in  their  testimony  to  the  facts,  the  authenticity  of  the 

36 


TEE  MESMERIC  PERIOD  37 

public  exhibitions  and  the  results  coming  from  examinations 
made  by  Lucius.  Letters  of  recommendation  were  still 
necessary  in  those  clays. 

Writing  from  Belfast,  Nov.  18,  1843,  and  addressing 
himself  to  Hon.  David  Sears,  Mr.  James  W.  Webster  makes 
the  following  statement : 

"The  bearer,  Mr.  Phineas  P.  Quimby,  visits  your  city  for 
the  purpose  of  exhibiting  the  astonishing  mesmeric  powers 
of  his  subject,  Master  Lucius  Burkmar.  Mr.  Quimby,  as  also 
the  young  man,  are  native  citizens  of  this  place,  and  sustain 
in  the  community  unblemished  moral  characters. 

"Mr.  Quimby  is  not  an  educated  man,  nor  is  he  pretending 
or  obtrusive;  but  I  think  if  you  should  take  occasion  to  con- 
verse with  him  you  will  discern  many  traces  of  deep  thought 
and  reflection,  particularly  upon  the  subject  above  mentioned. 

"His  boy  will  I  think  demonstrate  in  an  extraordinary 
manner  the  phenomena  of  magnetic  influence,  more  espe- 
cially in  that  department  usually  termed  clairvoyance ;  and 
should  you  take  an  opportunity  to  be  put  in  communication 
wdth  him,  I  doubt  not  you  will  be  gratified  with  the  results. 
Time  and  distance  with  him  are  annihilated,  and  he  travels 
with  the  rapidity  of  thought.  I  think  he  will  describe  to 
you  the  appearance  of  any  edifice,  tower  or  temple,  and  even 
that  of  any  person  either,  in  Europe  or  America,  upon  which 
or  upon  whom  your  imagination  may  rest.  I  say  this  much 
from  the  fact  that  I  have  been  in  communication  with  him 
[mentally]  myself  and  do  know  that  he  describes  remote 
places  and  even  the  appearance  of  persons  at  great  distances 
which  he  never  before  could  have  heard  or  thought  of.  ,  .  ." 

Writing  to  Dr.  Jacob  Bigelow,  apparently  a  physician  of 
prominence,  Dr.  Albert  T  Wheelock  writes  from  Belfast 
under  date  of  Nov.  10,  1843,  and  describes  an  experiment  in 
"animal  magnetism"  under  mesmeric  conditions  in  the  case 
of  an  operation  for  the  removal  of  a  polypus  from  the  nose. 
With  a  physician's  care  in  describing  symptoms,  the  writer 
gives  an  account  of  the  patient's  general  condition  and  men- 
tions her  desire  to  be  "magnetised."  Dr.  Wheelock  then 
goes  on  as  follows : 

"As  she  was  entirely  unacquainted  in  the  town,  at  her 
request  I  procured  the  attendance  of  a  gentleman  who  had 
the  reputation  of  being  a  good  magnetiser  (Mr.  P.  P. 
Quimby),  although  entirely  faithless  on  my  own  part,  as  I 


38  TEE  MESMERIC  PERIOD 

told  her  at  that  time  ...  I  am  quite  confident  that  the  lady 
and  Mr.  Quimby  had  never  met  before  and  that  there  was 
nothing  previously  concerted.  I  am  also  confident  that  she 
took  no  drug  to  induce  stupor.  In  ten  minutes  after  com- 
mencing, she  was  put  into  a  state  of  apparent  natural  sleep, 
breathing  and  pulse  natural,  color  of  countenance  unchanged. 
Mr,  Q.  asked  her  if  she  felt  well.  'Yes.'  I  immediately,  in 
the  presence  of  several  noted  citizens  who  were  called  in  at 
their  request,  began  to  remove  the  polypus,  and  did  it  thor- 
oughly. ...  I  was  operating  perhaps  4  or  5  minutes  at 
least.  During  the  Avhole  time  she  evinced  not  the  slightest 
symptom  of  pain,  either  by  any  groaning,  sighing  or  motion 
whatever,  but  was  in  all  these  respects  like  a  dead  body.  I 
felt  convinced  that  I  [could]  have  amputated  her  arm.  In 
about  ten  minutes  after  she  was  waked  up,  but  said  she  was 
unconscious  that  anything  had  been  done,  complained  of  no 
pain,  and  found  that  she  could  now  breathe  freely  through 
her  nose,  that  previously  had  been  entirely  closed  up,  for 
several  months.  .  .  .  Mr.  Quimby  ...  is  an  intelligent 
gentleman  and  worthy  of  the  utmost  confidence." 

Another  communication,  addressed  to  Nathan  Hale,  Dr. 
Jacob  Bigelow,  and  Dr.  John  Ware,  of  Boston,  dated  Belfast, 
Nov.  6,  1843,  has  been  deprived  of  its  signature  through 
much  handling.  It  is  intended  to  show  the  authenticity  of 
the  experiments  performed  by  Quimby  and  his  subject.  The 
writer,  who  is  careful  in  stating  facts,  says  that  the  subject 
told  liim  even  his  own  thoughts  which  the  writer  kept  to 
himself,  also  words  that  he  simply  visualized.  Lucius  when 
blindfolded  told  minute  facts  concerning  things  at  a  distance 
of  half  a  mile  which  no  one  in  the  room  knew,  facts  which  he 
could  not  know  by  "any  means  within  the  limit  of  common 
experience."     The  writer  says : 

"1  have  good  reason  to  believe  that  he  can  discern  the  in- 
ternal structure  of  an  animal  body,  and  if  there  be  anything 
morbid  or  defective  therein  detect  and  explain  it.  The  im- 
portant advantage  of  this  to  surgery  and  medicine  is  obvious 
enough.  He,  that  is,  his  intellect,  can  be  in  two  places  at  the 
same  time.  He  can  go  from  one  point  to  another,  no  matter 
how  remote,  without  passing  through  the  intermediate  space. 
I  have  ascertained  from  irrefragible  experiments  that  he 
takes  ideas  first  directly  from  the  mind  of  the  person  in  com- 
munication with  him,  and,  second,  without  reference  to  such 


TEE  MESMERIC  PERIOD  39 

mind,  directly  from  the  object  or  thing  to  which  his  attention 
is  directed;  and  in  both  instances  without  any  aid  from  his 
five  bodily  senses.  He  can  perceive  without  using  either  of 
the  common  organs  of  perception.  His  mind  when  he  is  mes- 
merised seems  to  have  no  relation  to  body,  distance,  place, 
time  or  motion.  He  passes  from  Belfast  to  Washington,  or 
from  the  earth  to  the  moon,  not  as  horses,  steam  engines  or 
light,  but  swifter  than  light,  by  a  single  act  of  volition. 

"In  a  word,  he  strides  far  beyond  the  reach  of  philosophy. 
He  demonstrates,  as  I  think,  better  than  all  physical,  meta- 
physical or  moral  science,  the  immateriality  of  the  human 
soul,  and  that  its  severance  from  the  body  involves  not  its 
own  destruction.  At  least  he  proves  this  of  himself.  And  I 
suppose  other  souls  are  like  his.  .  .  .  Mesmerism  as  mani- 
fested by  this  boy  lets  in  more  light  than  any  other  window 
that  has  been  opened  for  1800  years.  This  may  look  like 
gross  extravagance,  but  if  you  have  the  same  luck  I  have  you 
will  find  it  is  not  so." 

Another  observer  who  was  greatly  impressed  by  Quimby's 
public  lectures,  accompanied  by  experiments  performed 
through  the  aid  of  Lucius,  writes  from  East  Machias,  Feb. 
1845,  concerning  experiments  in  private  which  he  thinks 
more  remarkable  still.     He  says,  in  part: 

"The  power  of  perceinng  the  seat  of  the  disease,  and  of 
describing  the  most  minute  symptoms  which  I  do  not  guess 
but  know,  his  subject  possesses  when  in  the  mesmeric  sleep 
la  astonishing  beyond  words  to  express.  He  has  examined 
my  wife  twice  and  ...  I  venture  to  say  that  all  have  been 
perfectly  satisfied  that  there  is  not  the  least  deception  in 
regard  to  the  matter,  but  the  most  satisfactory  proof  of  an 
extraordinary,  I  may  almost  say  miraculous,  insight.  .  .  . 
Lucius  [sees]  every  particular  in  regard  to  the  internal  struc- 
ture and  state  of  the  body,  especially  describing  the  causes 
of  disease.  ...  I  WTite  this  without  the  knowledge  or  sug- 
gestion of  Mr.  Quimby,  but  hoping  that  hereby  some  who  may 
receive  inestimable  benefit  may  not  lose  this  opportunity.  .  .  . 
Mr.  Johnson  has  been  put  in  communication  with  Lucius  in 
public,  and  Mrs.  Johnson  this  morning  at  our  home,  and  he 
described  with  astonishing  accuracy  precisely  the  object  which 
she  had  in  her  mind,  which  Mr.  Quimby  calls  th^'"' 
reading,  and  which  I  am  just  as  certain  is  real  as  +^ 
Tiere  and  the  sun  shines  to-day,  and  also  things  w' 


40  TEE  MESMERIC  PERIOD 

not  have  in  her  mind  in  regard  to  the  persons  and  places 
which  she  took  him  to  visit  in  spirit.  This  if  true,  as  has 
often  happened  to  Mr.  Quimby,  will  place  the  power  of  clair- 
voyance beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt.  [Lucius]  has  it 
beyond  a  shadow  of  a  doubt  as  far  as  perceiving  disease  and 
every  internal  organ  of  the  body  is  concerned  .  .  .  and  we 
shall  write  immediately  to  discover  [the  facts  of  the  things 
discerned  through]  clairvoyance." 

The  following  excerpt  from  the  Bangor  Democrat,  April, 
1843,  gives  us  the  date  of  Mr.  Quimby's  first  experiment 
away  from  his  home  town,  not  his  "native"  town,  of  Belfast. 

"Mr.  Quimby  of  Belfast  has  visited  here  by  invitation,  and 
made  exhibitions  in  public  for  the  first  time  out  of  his  native 
town.  Some  of  our  citizens  are  well  acquainted  with  him, 
and  others  are  acquainted  with  citizens  of  Belfast  who  have 
the  most  entire  confidence  in  him :  it  is  therefore  preposterous 
that  he  attempts  to  practice  imposition. 

"He  has  with  him  two  young  men,  brothers,  one  23  and 
the  other  17'.  They  are  clairvoyant  subjects.  The  first 
evening  the  experiments  were  not  successful,  but  one  made  in 
private  we  will  relate  as  a  sample  of  the  rest.  The  young 
man  was  magnetised  by  Mr.  Quimby,  when  one  of  our  citizens 
was  put  in  communication  with  him.  In  imagination  he  took 
the  boy  to  St.  John,  New  Brunswick,  before  the  new  Custom 
House,  and  asking  him  what  he  could  see,  he  said  a  building 
with  a  stone  front  and  the  rest  of  it  brick.  He  then  began 
to  read  the  letters  on  it.  'C-u-s-t-o-m.  Oh,  this  is  the 
Custom  House.'  He  then  took  him  inside  of  the  building 
and  asked  what  he  could  see  there,  when  he  described  the 
stone  steps  leading  into  the  second  story,  the  iron  railing, 
curiously  formed,  and  when  taken  into  one  of  the  rooms,  de- 
scribed a  man  employed  in  writing. 

"The  gentleman  says  no  one  knew  where  he  proposed  to 
take  the  boy:  the  boy  had  never  seen  the  building,  and  yet 
he  described  it  as  accurately  as  any  one  who  has  seen  it. 
This  gentleman's  word  is  not  to  be  questioned  by  any  one. 

"Such  was  the  experiment,   and  others  can  tell  as  well 
as   I   whether   it  was   humbuggery,  witchcraft,   a   juggler's 
trick,  magic,  or  the  mysterious  power  that  one  person  exerts 
'lother.     Eeal  or  imreal,  it  is  extraordinary." 

'  •'^'t  excerpt,  from  the  \Yaldo  Signal,  Belfast,  Jan. 
typical  of  those  indicating  that  a  general  effort 


TEE  MESMERIC  PERIOD  41 

was  made  to  avoid  all  collusion  and  if  possible  to  explain  the 
strange  phenomena. 

"We  learn  from  the  Norridgewock  Workingman  of  the  18th 
inst.  that  our  townsman,  Mr.  P.  P.  Quirnby,  has  recently 
been  in  that  place  lecturing  upon  the  science  of  animal  mag- 
netism, and  illustrating  the  subject  by  numerous  experiments. 
On  the  evening  of  the  12th  a  committee  was  appointed,  con- 
sisting of  several  of  the  most  intelligent  men  of  N.  to  scru- 
tinize the  experiments  for  the  ostensible  purpose  of  satisfying 
themselves  and  the  audience  that  there  was  no  deception  in 
the  matter.  The  result  was  highly  satisfactory,  Mr.  Quimby 
showing  no  disposition  to  avoid  any  scrutiny  required  by  the 
committee." 

Again,  we  have  a  letter  confirming  one  of  the  experiments 
in   clairvoyance.     The   letter  is   dated   Eastport,   Me.,   May 
3d,  1845. 
"Mr.  Quimby, 

"Sir:  The  lady  you  mesmerised  at  my  house  on  Sat- 
urday last  and  then  requested  her  to  take  you  to  her  father's 
house,  a  distance  of  about  four  hundred  miles,  you  recollect, 
gave  a  minute  description  of  the  family  and  what  they  were 
about  at  that  time.  You  also  remember,  I  presume,  that  she 
stated  that  Mr.  G.,  a  member  of  the  family  died  on  the  14th 
ult.,  and  that  a  Mrs.  B.,  a  particular  friend  of  hers,  had  been 
there  on  a  visit,  was  taken  sick  there,  but  had  so  far  recovered 
that  her  brother  had  carried  her  home, 

"On  the  Tuesday  following  her  making  the  above  statement 
she  received  a  letter  from  her  father  in  which  he  wrote  that 
Mr.  G.  died  about  8  o'clock,  A.  M.  on  the  14th  of  April,  also 
stating  that  Mrs.  B.  had  been  there  on  a  visit,  and  that  she 
was  taken  sick  so  as  to  be  obliged  to  stay  a  week  longer  than 
she  intended,  and  that  she  had  got  so  well  that  her  brother 
had  carried  her  home. 

"You  are  aware  that  I  have  been  sceptical  about  most  of 
your  mesmeric  experiments.  I  therefore  feel  bound  to  give 
you  the  above  statement  of  facts,  and  am  willing  you  should 
show  this  to  your  friends.  But  I  am  not  willing  to  have  my 
name  appear  in  print." 

Other  letters  express  the  conviction  that  the  time  for  rid- 
icule has  passed :  people  should  attend  the  public  demonstra- 
tions, see  for  themselves,  then  bring  the  sick  to  be  diagnosed 
by  Lucius,  that  the  real  nature  of  their  maladies  may  be 


42  TEE  MESMERIC  PERIOD 

learned.  There  is  much  testimony  regarding  Lucius'  wonder- 
ful clairvoyance  in  the  mesmeric  state,  and  always  the 
conviction  that  there  is  no  collusion.  One  of  the  letters  is 
from  Mr.  Quimby  himself,  in  which  he  refers  to  the  case  of 
a  patient  put  into  a  state  of  sleep  during  three  hours  while 
an  operation  upon  the  teeth  was  being  performed.  The 
patient  felt  no  pain.  Mr.  Quimby  states  that  while  the 
patient  was  asleep  he  told  her  mother  that  he  would  show 
her  how  he  could  talk  with  the  daughter  mentally.  He  then 
stepped  toward  the  patient  but  did  not  put  his  hand  upon  her, 
merely  sent  her  a  thought.  The  patient  thereupon  laughed 
out  in  response  to  this  thought  and  satisfied  all  in  the  room 
that  it  was  an  instance  of  thought-transference.  This  ex- 
perience is  significant,  for  it  points  forward  to  the  time, 
presently  to  come,  when  Quimby  will  be  able  to  dispense  with 
his  subject,  and  communicate  directly  either  through  telep- 
athy or  by  the  aid  of  his  own  clairvoyance,  apart  from 
mesmerism. 

The  last  letter  of  this  period  is  dated  Lowell,  Sept.  26, 
'47,  and  is  an  appeal  addressed  to  Mr.  Quimby  to  make  an 
examination  by  the  aid  of  Lucius  of  her  husband's  body,  with 
the  hope  that  the  cause  of  his  sudden  death  may  be  deter- 
mined. Mr.  Quimby  assented,  the  examination  was  made, 
and  in  this  instance  the  description  is  appended  to  the  letter 
in  Lucius's  own  words.  Lucius  describes  the  condition  of 
the  heart,  which  was  somewhat  enlarged,  the  state  of  the 
lungs  and  stomach,  liver,  blood,  and  so  on.  He  says,  "This 
I  write  while  I  am  in  communication  with  Mr.  Quimby  in 
the  magnetic  state." 

Later,  when  reading  over  what  he  has  written,  he  realizes 
that  his  description  as  there  given  does  not  show  why  death 
came  about  suddenly,  and  so  he  returns  to  the  description, 
still  confining  his  statement  to  an  account  of  symptoms,  and 
the  probable  sensations  experienced  just  before  death.  This 
is  what  we  might  expect  from  a  clairvoyant  whose  power 
consisted  for  the  most  part  in  making  wonderfully  accurate 
descriptions  of  things,  events,  states  and  conditions,  or  in 
reading  thoughts  in  a  person's  mind ;  never  the  interpretation 
of  these  states  in  terms  of  their  real  meaning.  This  re- 
mained for  Quimby  himself  to  discern  when,  having  found 
the  limitations  under  which  Lucius  made  these  descriptions, 
he  saw  the  difference  between  mere  symptoms  and  inner 


THE  MESMERIC  PERIOD  43 

causes.  Lucius  miglit  describe  the  actual  state  of  an  un- 
tenanted body,  and  throw  a  little  light  on  the  feelings  its 
owner  may  have  had  just  before  he  left  the  flesh ;  but  he  could 
not  tell  the  whole  story.  His  descriptions  raised  as  many 
problems  as  they  appeared  to  solve.  His  clairvoyance  was 
remarkable.  But  it  was  the  perception  of  an  inferior  mind 
in  a  passive  condition.  What  was  needed  was  intuition, 
showing  the  real  state  of  the  individual  behind  all  these 
symptoms. 

Fortunately,  for  our  present  interests,  there  still  exists  a 
personal  journal  in  which,  beginning  December  26,  1843, 
Lucius  noted  down  matters  of  interest  during  his  travels  with 
Mr.  Quimby.  Most  of  these  details  are  with  reference  to  the 
towns  visited,  the  interest  or  credulity  aroused  by  the  experi- 
ments, or  the  people  met  along  the  way.  Plainly  Lucius  has 
no  theory  concerning  his  own  powers.  He  accepts  and  uses 
the  term  "magnetism"  or  "magnetised,"  as  matter  of  con- 
venience, without  manifesting  any  interest  to  inquire  what  is 
behind.  He  is  aware  that  Mr.  Quimby  possesses  power  over 
him,  but  that  fact  neither  troubles  nor  interests  him.  Ap- 
parently, he  was  glad  when  the  public  exhibitions  were  suc- 
cessful, and  he  notes  that  scepticism  is  overcome.  But  there 
he  always  leaves  the  matter.  One  concludes  that  Lucius  had 
exceptional  receptive  powers,  so  that  under  other  auspices 
he  might  have  been  a  spiritistic  medium;  but  tliat  he  was 
almost  entirely  lacking  in  analytical  power.  Consequently, 
Lucius  merely  states  facts  and  then  leaves  them.  Wliat  he 
says  concerning  things  discerned  by  him  in  the  mesmeric 
state  is  probably  what  he  could  recall  when  he  heard  Mr. 
Quimby  and  others  talking  about  his  descriptions,  when 
awakened  into  his  normal  condition. 

For  example,  we  find  him  referring  to  some  of  Mr. 
Quimby's  cures  in  the  early  period  when  Quimby  himself 
still  believed  that  "magnetism"  had  something  to  do  with 
them.  "Quimby,"  he  writes,  "has  been  doing  miracles.  He 
has  cured  a  man  that  couldn't  walk  nor  speak.  It  has 
produced  a  great  excitement  here  among  the  people.  He 
[the  patient]  has  been  confined  to  his  house  about  a  year,  and 
never  has  spoken  or  walked.  In  one  hour  [Mr.  Quimby] 
made  him  walk  about  the  room  and  speak  so  as  to  be  heard 
in  another  room." 

Referring  to  the  prevalent  scepticism,  he  writes  on  another 


44  THE  MESMERIC  PERIOD 

occasion:  "As  a  general  thing  we  didn't  find  the  people  so 
bitter  upon  the  subject  of  animal  magnetism  as  we  thought 
we  should.  We  generally  had  the  most  influential  men  of  the 
place  upon  our  side  of  the  question,  and  as  a  general  thing 
satisfied  all  sceptics  beyond  a  doubt." 

Two  years  later  we  find  Lucius  still  noticing  this  scep- 
ticism, and  remarking  that  the  people  seem  to  be  very  bitter 
upon  the  subject  of  magnetism.  "But,"  he  continues,  "we 
have  satisfied  a  great  many,  some  very  hard  cases.  This 
afternoon  I  examined  Mr.  Hooper.  Thought  the  kidney  and 
uthera  was  diseased.  Said  there  was  a  seated  pain  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  abdomen,  also  a  pain  in  the  small  of  the 
back.  Thought  the  pain  in  the  small  of  the  back  was  caused 
by  sympathy  with  the  kidneys.  Eecommended  a  plaster  of 
Burgundy  pitch  to  be  worn  upon  the  back.  Told  him  not  to 
drink  cold  water,  for  it  did  not  agree  with  the  kidneys.  Also 
examined  Mr.  Pillsbury's  wife.  Examined  head  and  pro- 
nounced the  brain  diseased,  said  there  was  a  congestion  of  the 
brain  and  large  clots  of  blood  laid  upon  the  brain,  and  it 
would  produce  convulsions  and  fits.  While  I  was  examining 
her  head  she  had  one  of  these  fits,  as  I  was  told  by  Mr. 
Quimby." 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Lucius  frequently  says  merely 
what  he  "thought,"  and  draws  upon  his  own  opinions.  For 
example,  he  writes,  "Examined  Mrs.  Barker.  Said  there  was 
a  difficulty  in  the  blood,  described  one  of  the  valves  of  the 
heart  as  being  thicker  than  the  other.  Thought  she  didn't 
have  exercise  enough.  Said  the  valve  being  deranged  caused 
the  blood  to  stop.  Was  asked  what  sensation  it  produced. 
Said  it  produced  a  faintness,  said  this  was  the  great  difficulty ; 
thought  there  was  no  other  functional  or  organic  disease. 
At  the  same  time  examined  Mrs.  Bennett.  This  (as  I  under- 
stood from  the  Doctor)   was  a  nameless  disease." 

In  another  case  Lucius  discerns  what  he  takes  to  be  spinal 
complaint  and  expresses  the  opinion  that  the  patient  "will 
never  get  well,"  although  he  once  more  recommends  a  "plaster 
of  Burgundy  pitch,"  to  be  put  upon  the  small  of  the  back 
for  relief.  These  statements  show  how  limited  is  the  range 
of  his  own  thought  in  the  matter.  He  tells  us  nothing  what- 
ever concerning  inner  causes,  and  nothing  about  the  general 
state  of  mind  of  those  he  examines.  All  this  remained  for 
Mr.  Quimby  to  discover. 


TEE  MESMERIC  PERIOD  45 

Plainly,  Lucius's  ability  is  more  manifest  when  it  is  a 
question  of  describing  material  things,  under  the  suggestion 
of  some  one  in  the  audience  who  mentally  tells  him  where  to 
travel  in  spirit.  Thus  he  speaks  of  being  "put  in  communi- 
cation with  Mr.  Buck,  and  being  taken  by  him  to  his  house." 
Lucius  described  the  room,  "and  saw  a  map  lying  upon  the 
floor,  and  told  the  audience  that  before  he  left  his  house  he 
put  a  map  upon  tlie  floor."  These  descriptions  were  con- 
vincing to  the  audience,  because  they  proved  that  Lucius 
could  actually  see  at  a  distance. 

Lucius  also  had  mind  enough  to  follow  Mr.  Quimby's 
lectures  to  some  extent,  for  he  speaks  of  one  occasion  when 
the  lecturer  "spoke  of  mind,  and  how  the  mind  was  acted 
upon  while  in  the  mesmeric  state."  The  most  significant 
statement  is  that  Quimby,  in  his  remarks,  "clearly  demon- 
strated that  there  was  no  fluid,  and  he  showed  the  relation 
between  mind  and  matter."  But,  in  confession  of  his  own 
lack  of  interest  in  this  striking  demonstration,  Lucius  simply 
goes  on  to  say,  with  only  a  comma  between,  I  have  been  having 
a  chit  chat  with  a  very  pretty  girl  her  name  is  Abey  Redman 
but  mum  is  the  word."  ^ 

Eightly  interpreted,  this  explanation  leads  beyond  "animal 
magnetism"  by  showing  that  it  is  not  a  question  of  a  supposed 
"fluid"  or  of  electricity,  but  of  mental  influences  which  no 
mesmeric  theory  could  account  for.  But  Lucius  has  no  ink- 
ling of  this.  He  does  note,  however,  that  Mr.  Quimby  is 
himself  beginning  to  cure  in  a  remarkable  way.  He  writes, 
"Mr.  Quimby  has  performed  a  miracle  here.  He  took  a  man 
that  had  a  lame  shoulder.  It  was  partially  out  of  joint.  He 
worked  upon  it,  and  the  man  said  there  was  no  pain  in  it. 
This  astonished  them.  This  afternoon  the  man  went  about 
his  work  as  well  as  ever.  .  .  .  [Mr.  Quimby]  took  a  man 
out  of  the  audience  (a  perfect  stranger  to  him)  and  effected 
a  cure  on  his  arm.  The  man  had  not  ben  able  to  raise  it  up 
for  two  years  and  in  a  few  minutes  he  was  able  to  raise  his 
arm  up  to  his  head,  and  moved  it  round  free  from  pain."^ 

1  This  sentence,  a  characteristic  one,  is  given  exactly  as  found  in 
the  journal. 

2  These  preliminary  cases  must  have  taught  Mr.  Quimby  much  in 
regard  to  the  re-establishing  of  confidence,  for  later  we  find  nim  begin- 
ning as  soon  as  possible  to  encourage  patients  to  make  an  etTort  to 
walk  or  raise  their  arms,  in  instances  where  this  power  had  been  lost. 


4«l  THE  MESMERIC  PERIOD 

So  far  as  Lucius  is  able  to  follow,  such  cases  merely  show 
Mr,  Quimby's  power  to  exert  "magnetic  influence,"  whatever 
that  was  supposed  to  be.  He  speaks,  for  example,  of  a  patient 
to  whom  Quimby  was  taken  by  a  Dr.  Richardson.  "The 
ease  was  that  of  a  woman  who  fell  down  and  injured  the 
elbow  joint  so  that  she  couldn't  move  it  without  excruciating 
pain.  He  magnetised  her  and  made  her  move  her  arm 
about  just  as  he  pleased  without  any  pain." 

Turning  to  Mr.  Quimby's  own  account  of  his  experiments, 
we  find  once  more  that  what  Quimby  was  interested  in 
was  not  the  alleged  "magnetism,"  but  the  activities  which 
resulted  when  a  subject  or  patient  accepted  a  certain  idea 
and  responded  to  it.  For  example,  in  an  article  dated  1863, 
Mr.  Quimby  states  that  he  found  his  mesmeric  subject 
possessing  a  psychical  sense  of  smell  such  that  Lucius  could 
not  only  detect  any  odor  at  a  distance,  but  "describe  the 
flower  or  person  that  threw  the  odor."  Noticing  Lucius's 
responsiveness  to  what  he  had  perceived,  or  at  other  times 
merely  thought  he  perceived,  Mr.  Quimby  resolved  to  try  an 
experiment  of  another  sort,  namely,  to  prove  that  similar 
consequences  would  follow  when  there  was  no  real  object  at 
all,  but  merely  an  idea. 

"I  said,"  writes  Mr.  Quimby,  that  "I  could  create  objects 
that  my  subject  could  see.  So,  of  course  I  could  create 
things  that  would  frighten  him,  and  I  could  create  all  kinds  of 
fruit  which  he  would  eat  and  be  affected  by.  For  instance, 
when  awake  he  was  very  fond  of  lemons,  and  was  always  eat- 
ing them.  I  thought  I  would  break  him  of  it.  So  when  I 
had  him  asleep  I  would  create  mentally  a  lemon,  and  he  would 
see  it.  Then  I  would  make  him  eat  it  till  he  would  be  so 
sick  that  he  would  vomit.  Then  he  would  beg  me  not  to  make 
him  eat  any  more  lemons.  I  never  mentioned  the  conversation 
to  him  in  his  waking  state.  After  trying  the  experiment 
two  or  three  times,  it  destroyed  his  taste  for  lemons,  and  he 
had  no  desire  for  them  and  could  not  even  bear  the  taste  of 
them." 

From  this  experiment  Mr.  Quimby  infers  that  "ideas  that 
cannot  be  seen  are  as  as  real  as  those  which  can  be  seen  .  .  . 
Then  man  can  account  for  his  troubles  as  easily  as  he  can 
account  for  injuries  caused  by  an  accident.  .  .  .  Some  ideas 
contain  no  intelligence  because  the  author  puts  none  in 
them."     If  a  subject  or  a  patient  can  be  unpleasantly  affected 


TEE  MESMERIC  PERIOD  47 

by  a  mere  suggestioD,  one  can  utilize  this  power  by  directing 
the  mind  with  intelligence,  and  so  disabuse  it  of  its  errors. 
Since  minds  are  reached  directly  in  any  event  by  mere  "opin- 
ions," working  mischief,  we  all  have  it  in  our  power  to  reach 
minds  wisely,  and  no  "subject"  is  required.  Thus  it  becomes 
a  question  of  developing  that  "wisdom,"  as  Quimby  later 
called  it,  which  should  free  people  from  adverse  suggestions. 

Mr.  Quimby  further  saw  that  even  when  a  subject  is  clair- 
voyant this  state  is  of  short  duration,  and  the  subject  readily 
lapses  into  the  mere  mind-reading  of  those  present.  So  the 
diagnosis  of  a  disease,  as  well  as  the  opinion  that  a  certain 
remedy  will  be  effective,  may  be  in  part  mere  mind-reading. 
In  an  article  addressed  to  the  editor  of  a  Portland  paper,  Feb- 
ruary, 1862,  protesting  against  being  classed  with  spiritists, 
mesmerists,  and  clairvoyants,  Mr.  Quimby  says, 

"I  was  one  of  the  first  mesmerisers  in  the  state  who  gave 
public  experiments,  and  I  had  a  subject  who  was  considered 
the  best  then  known.  He  examined  and  prescribed  for  dis- 
eases just  as  this  class  do  now.  .  .  .  The  capacity  of  thought- 
reading  is  the  common  extent  of  mesmerism.  Clairvoyance 
is  very  rare.  .  .  . 

"When  I  mesmerised  my  subject,  he  would  prescribe  some 
little  simple  herb  that  would  do  no  harm  or  good  of  itself.  In 
some  cases  this  would  cure  the  patient.  I  also  found  that 
any  medicine  would  cure  if  he  ordered  it.  This  led  me  to 
investigate  the  matter,  and  arrive  at  the  stand  I  now  take: 
that  the  cure  is  not  in  the  medicine,  but  in  the  confidence  of 
the  doctor  or  medium.  A  clairvoyant  never  reasons  nor 
alters  his  opinion ;  but,  if  in  the  first  state  of  thought-reading 
he  prescribes  medicine,  he  must  be  posted  by  some  mind  in- 
terested in  it,  and  must  also  derive  his  knowledge  from  the 
same  source  from  which  the  doctors  derive  theirs. 

"The  subject  I  had  left  me,  and  was  employed  by ,  who 

employed  him  in  examining  diseases  in  the  mesmeric  sleep, 
and  taught  him  to  recommend  such  medicines  as  he  got  up 
himself  in  Latin;  and,  as  the  boy  did  not  know  Latin,  it 
looked  very  mysterious.  Soon  afterwards  he  was  at  home 
again,  and  I  put  him  to  sleep  to  examine  a  lady,  expecting 
that  he  would  go  on  in  his  old  way;  but  instead  of  that  he 
wrote  a  long  prescription  in  Latin.  I  awoke  him,  that  he 
might  read  it ;  but  he  could  not.  So  I  took  it  to  the  apothe- 
cary who  said  he  had  the  articles,  and  that  they  would  cost 


48  THE  MESMERIC  PERIOD 

twenty  dollars.  This  was  impossible  for  the  lady  to  pay.  So 
I  returned  and  put  him  to  sleep  again;  and  he  gave  me  his 
usual  prescription  of  some  little  herb,  and  [the  patient] 
got  well." 

This  result  convinced  Mr.  Quimby  that  if  mediums  and 
subjects  had  not  acquired  their  alleged  knowledge  from  the 
"common  allopathic  belief,"  and  if  it  were  not  for  "the  super- 
stition of  the  people,"  very  few  cures  would  be  wrought.  The 
fact  that  the  medium's  eyes  are  closed,  for  example,  adds  to 
the  mystery.  The  people  as  readily  responded  to  the  suggest- 
ions of  doctors  who  helped  them  create  their  diseases,  in  the 
first  place,  as  to  the  supposed  wisdom  of  the  medium  in  the 
second.  It  is  all  a  matter  of  suggestion  any  way.  But  real 
service  to  the  sick  would  consist  in  showing  them  how  they  had' 
been  deceived.  Mr.  Quimby's  experience  with  mesmerism  had 
taught  him  the  real  secret  of  humbuggery  in  the  case  of 
both  mediums  and  of  mesmerists  or  supposed  "magnetic  heal- 
ers." He  had  to  pursue  his  investigations  far  enough  to  be 
thoroughly  convinced,  and  to  come  into  possession  of  the 
true  principle.  Moreover  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  experi- 
mjent  with  Lucius  long  enough  to  make  the  highly  important 
discovery  that  he,  Quimby,  was  clairvoyant,  too,  without  the 
aid  of  mesmerism,  and  without  any  of  the  psychical  mani- 
festions  through  which  the  spiritists  influenced  people. 


THE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED 

To  note  how  radical  was  the  change  through  which  Mr. 
Quimby  passed  as  he  turned  from  the  mesmeric  point  of  view, 
we  need  to  revert  for  the  moment  to  his  first  experiments. 
In  one  of  his  descriptive  articles  he  tells  us  that  the  first  time 
he  sat  down  to  try  to  mesmerise  another  man  he  took  a  chair 
by  him  and  the  two,  joining  hands  with  a  young  man  as 
subject,  tried  to  will  the  latter  to  sleep.  Their  hypothesis 
was  that  electricity  would  pass  from  their  organisms  into 
that  of  the  subject.  So  by  "puffing  and  willing,"  they  tried 
to  convey  their  electricity  until  at  last  the  subject  fell  asleep. 
Having  the  young  man  in  their  power  the  two  men  then  tried 
to  determine  which  one  had  the  greater  influence. 

"So  we  sat  the  subject  in  the  chair,  the  gentleman  stood  in 
front  of  him  and  I  behind  him,  and  the  gentleman  tried  to 
draw  him  out  of  the  chair ;  but  he  could  not  start  him.  Then 
we  reversed  positions,  and  I  drew  the  subject  out  of  the  chair 
This  showed  that  I  had  the  greater  power  or  will.  This 
ended  the  first  experiment." 

Later,  Mr.  Quimby,  experimenting  alone,  put  the  subject 
asleep  in  five  minutes.  But  as  he  was  new  at  that  sort  of 
thing  he  did  not  know  what  to  do  next.  So  procuring  books 
he  learned  what  one  is  supposed  to  do.  He  did  not  then 
realize  that  the  results  obtained  depended  upon  the  theory  one 
adopts  and  the  phenomena  one  accordingly  anticipates.  But 
later  he  became  convinced  that  acceptance  of  the  theory  of 
magnetism  and  the  mesmeric  sleep  predisposed  his  mind  to 
produce  the  results,  and  that  if  had  never  heard  of  a  book  on 
the  subject  the  results  would  have  been  very  different. 
Furthermore,  he  concluded  that  however  absurd  the  ideas 
•acquired  by  the  operator,  the  operator  will  prove  them  "true" 
by  his  experiments,  since,  as  he  tells  us,  "beliefs  make  us  act, 
and  our  acts  are  directed  by  our  beliefs."  Mr.  Quimby  had 
to  be  credulous  in  the  beginning  in  order  to  find  out  that  he 
had  merely  proved  a  belief  and  was  far  from  truth. 

49 


50  THE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED 

At  the  outset,  then,  the  h3rpothesis  was  that  the  subject 
responded  merely  because  the  operator  contained  more  elec- 
tricity and  had  the  stronger  will,  and  will-power  itself  seemed 
to  be  little  more  than  magnetism,  so-called.  But  as  matter 
of  fact  the  books  simply  told  a  person  how  to  become  an  oper- 
ator without  explaining  anything  that  he  did:  there  was  no 
science  of  the  thing  at  all.  Even  the  conditions  to  be  com- 
plied Avith  were  hypothetical.  Thus  Mr.  Quimby  found  that 
if  he  had  any  steel  about  him  it  affected  the  subject,  and  so  he 
had  to  keep  all  steel  away  as  long  as  he  believed  that  steel 
had  anything  to  do  with  his  failures.  Again,  if  a  sceptic  sat 
too  near,  he  failed.  Stumbling  along  at  first,  he  found  him^ 
self  as  ignorant  of  the  phenomena  as  when  he  began,  so  long 
as  he  held  to  the  hypothesis  of  a  magnetic  current  and  the 
notion  that  precise  material  conditions  were  essential.  The 
resource  was  to  drop  the  prevailing  views  and  set  out  in  quest 
of  another  explanation. 

In  this  early  period  of  investigation,  Mr.  Quimby  was  en- 
tirely sceptical  in  regard  to  clairvoyance  and  kindred  phe- 
nomena, also  sceptical  of  any  experiment  where  the  subject 
had  any  foreknowledge  of  what  was  to  be  done.  To  avoid 
any  possible  error  or  ground  for  doubt,  he  therefore  adopted 
the  rule,  and  held  steadily  to  it  during  the  four  years  of  his 
association  with  Lucius,  never  to  let  the  subject  know  what 
was  expected  of  him  save  mentally.  Even  if  he  merely 
wished  Lucius  to  give  him  his  hand,  he  would  ask  him  men- 
tally, never  audibly.  During  the  entire  four  years  there  was 
no  evidence  that  Lucius  knew  in  his  waking  state  what  he 
did  when  in  the  mesmeric  sleep.  There  was  a  great  advan- 
tage in  favor  of  this  rule,  for  Quimby  could  be  absolutely 
sure  of  his  results. 

By  depending  solely  upon  his  mental  communications  with 
Lucius,  Mr.  Quimby  was  able  to  attain  a  high  degree  of  suc- 
cess, and  to  learn  in  due  course  that  the  whole  process  was 
mental,  that  neither  the  state  of  the  weather,  the  presence  of 
metals,  nor  the  passing  of  an  alleged  current  from  one  organ- 
ism to  the  other  had  anything  to  do  with  the  actual  result. 

That  Lucius  received  no  impression  from  any  source  save 
Quimby's  thought,  during  an  experiment  with  this  end  in 
view,  was  also  clear  from  the  fact  that  Mr.  Quimby  could  in 
imagination  call  up  the  picture  of  a  wild  animal,  and  by 
concentrating  upon  this  picture  and  making  it  as  vivid  as 


THE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED  51 

possible  frighten  Lucius  by  means  of  it.  If  the  operator 
told  his  subject  during  the  experiment  that  the  animal  was 
merely  imaginary,  this  qualification  made  no  difference;  for 
Lucius  was  completely  subject  to  the  mental  picture,  and  was 
unable  to  draw  upon  his  own  reason  or  entertain  an  expla- 
nation of  the  experiment.  This  result  led  Mr.  Quimby  to 
believe  that  "man  has  the  power  of  creation,"  and  that  ideas 
take  form.  Then  the  question  arose,  What  are  ideas  com- 
posed of?  "They  must  be  something,  or  else  they  could  not 
be  seen  by  the  spiritual  eyes."  This  led  Quimby  to  inquire 
whether  Lucius  could  see  anything  if  he  merely  thought  of 
something  abstract,  such  as  a  general  principle.  "I  found 
that  if  I  thought  of  principles,  he  had  no  way  of  describing 
them,  for  there  was  nothing  to  see;  but  if  I  thought  of  any- 
thing that  had  form  I  could  make  him  see  it." 

Sight,  then,  was  equivalent  to  reality  for  Lucius.  Yet  in 
the  operator's  mind  there  might  be  merely  a  visual  image. 
But  if  the  supposed  object  had  no  existence  outside  of  the 
mind  of  the  operator  and  the  subject's  perception  of  it,  why 
might  not  an  alleged  "spirit"  in  the  case  of  spiritistic  phe- 
nomena be  a  mere  idea  in  the  mind  of  people  in  the  audience? 
An  experiment  convinced  Mr.  Quimby  that  this  could  be  the 
case.  Eequesting  any  one  to  give  him  a  name  written  on  a 
bit  of  paper,  Mr.  Quimby  passed  the  slip  of  paper  to  Lucius, 
who  was  sitting  blindfolded  by  the  committee.  Lucius  read 
the  name  aloud.  Quimby  then  told  Lucius  to  find  the 
person.     His  account  of  this  experiment  continues  as  follows : 

"My  mode  was  to  make  him  ask  questions  so  that  the 
audience  could  lead  him  along.  So  I  said,  'Who  is  he,  a 
man  or  a  boy?'  He  said,  'A  man.'  'Is  he  married?'  'Yes.' 
'Well,  tell  me  if  he  has  children,  and  how  many.'  He  an- 
swered, 'His  wife  has  three  children.'  'Well,'  said  I,  'find 
him.'  Lucius  said,  'He  left  town  between  two  days,'  'Well 
find  him.'  He  traced  him  to  Boston,  and  by  inquiring 
followed  him  to  the  interior  of  New  York  and  found  him  in  a 
cooper's  shop.  Now  all  this  was  literally  true,  and  I  suppose 
some  one  in  the  audience  knew  the  facts,  although  neither  the 
subject  nor  I  knew  anything  about  the  man.  I  asked  what 
became  of  the  man.  Lucius  said  the  man  was  dead.  'Well,' 
said  I,  'find  him  and  bring  him  here.'  'Well,'  said  he,  'he  is 
here,  can't  you  see  him?'  Said  I,  'Give  a  description.'  So 
he  went  on  and  gave  a  general  descripition.    But  these  gen- 


53  TBE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED 

eral  descriptions  amount  to  nothing,  for  every  one  will  make 
the  description  fit  his  case.  So  I  said,  'I  don't  want  that;  if 
there  is  anything  peculiar  about  the  man,  describe  it.'  'Well,' 
said  he,  'there  is  one  thing.  He  has  a  hair  lip.'  I  asked  the 
question  so  that  if  there  was  anything  peculiar  the  audience 
would  create  it." 

What  was  the  explanation  of  such  an  experiment?  Mr. 
Quimby  concluded  that  those  in  the  audience  who  were  pre- 
disposed to  believe  in  spirits  would  infer  that  Lucius  actually 
brought  the  man's  spirit  there.  The  proof  was  found  in  the 
fact  that  Lucius  accurately  described  the  man's  peculiar 
appearance.  But  those  who  believed  in  thought-reading 
would  conclude  that  Lucius  had  read  from  the  minds  of  the 
audience  his  description  of  the  man's  appearance,  and  that 
the  rest  of  the  experiment  was  to  be  explained  on  the  basis 
of  clairvoyance.  Once  in  touch  with  the  personality  of  the 
man  in  question,  as  known  by  people  present,  Lucius  could 
have  read  the  rest,  or  discerned  the  mental  pictures  suc- 
cessively appearing  as  Lucius  gained  point  after  point  essen- 
tial to  the  description.  Mr.  Quimby's  conclusion  was  that 
the  mental  image  of  the  man  was  as  real  to  Lucius  as  though 
the  man  himself  or  his  spirit  had  been  present.  He  became 
the  more  convinced  that  "man  has  the  power  to  create  ideas 
and  make  them  so  dense  that  they  can  be  seen  by  a  subject 
who  is  mesmerised."  If  an  imagined  person,  or  the  mere 
memory  image  of  a  person  was  as  real  to  the  subject  as  an 
actual  "spirit,"  why  should  one  infer  that  a  spirit  was  there? 

Thus  Mr.  Quimby  was  led  more  and  more  steadily  to  the 
conclusion  that  all  effects  produced  on  Lucius  were  due  to  the 
direct  action  of  mind  on  mind,  and  that  no  other  hypothesis 
was  necessary.  He  found  that  he  could  influence  Lucius 
either  with  or  without  Lucius's  knowledge,  and  that  Lucius 
was  also  affected  in  respects  which  were  not  intentional  on  his 
part.  Again,  he  found  himself  able  to  give  a  thought  to 
another's  mind  without  mesmerism,  for  instance,  by  bidding  a 
person  stop  when  walking.  Why,  then,  should  he  use  either 
mesmerism  or  his  subject?  Why  not  follow  out  this  dis- 
covery that  ideas  take  shape  in  the  mind,  according  to  one's 
belief,  and  can  be  seen  by  the  eye  of  the  spirit?  If  one  mind 
can  influence  another  by  creating  a  mental  picture  of  an 
object  to  be  feared,  such  as  a  wild  animal,  why  may  we  not 
create  good  objects  and  benefit  the  minds  of  those  we  seek  to 


TEE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED  53 

influence  ?  And  if  the  same  results  can  be  produced  by  mere 
suggestion  as  by  medicine  taken  with  firm  faith,  why  use 
medicine? 

Referring  to  Mr.  Quimby's  lecture-notes,  used  during  the 
period  of  his  public  exhibitions  with  Lucius,  we  find  that  he 
very  gradually  came  to  these  conclusions  when  he  saw  that  no 
other  explanation  would  suffice.  He  not  only  read  all  the 
books  on  mesmerism  he  could  find  but  familiarised  himself 
with  various  theories  of  matter,  such  as  Berkeley's,  and  with 
different  hypotheses  in  explanation  of  the  mesmeric  sleep. 
Convinced  that  there  was  no  "mesmeric  influence"  as  such, 
no  "fluid"  passing  from  body  to  body  but  simply  the  direct 
action  of  mind  on  mind  without  any  medium,  he  had  also  to 
become  convinced  that  the  states  perceived  by  the  subject  were 
not  due  to  imagination.  He  found,  for  example,  that  by 
creating  a  state  in  his  own  mind  and  vividly  feeling  it,  Lucius 
felt  the  same  and  exhibited  signs  of  its  effect  in  the  body. 
"Eeal  cold"  was  felt  by  Lucius  in  response  to  certain  sug- 
gestions. If  imaginary,  the  subject  would  not  have  acted 
upon  the  ideas  in  question.  Thus  when  Mr.  Quimby  handed 
Lucius  a  six-inch  rule  and  pictured  it  in  his  own  mind  as  a 
twelve-inch  rule,  Lucius  would  proceed  to  count  out  the 
twelve  inches,  and  to  him  it  was  literally  a  twelve-inch  rule. 
That  is  to  say,  the  impressions  received  by  the  subject  were 
real,  not  "imaginary,"  as  real  as  would  have  been  the  actual 
things  in  question.  An  impression  might  indeed  be  produced 
on  a  subject's  mind  from  a  false  cause,  but  the  cause  would 
then  be  real. 

Nor  was  the  state  called  clairvoyance  imaginary.  Mr. 
Quimby  described  it  in  this  period  of  his  thought  as  a 
"high  degree  of  excitement  which  gives  the  mind  freedom  of 
action,  placing  it  in  close  contact  with  everything,  including 
past,  present  and  future."  If  it  were  a  merely  fancied  state 
the  subject  would  not  be  able  to  visit  distant  places,  des- 
cribing people  and  things  correctly.  Nor  would  it  be  possible 
to  see  actual  events  in  process  and  predict  their  results,  as  in 
the  case  of  a  captain  located  on  board  a  ship  bound  for  New 
York  and  then  located  in  port  later,  the  second  time  Lucius 
was  asked  to  find  that  particular  man. 

There  was  every  reason  to  accept  these  disclosures  as  real, 
for  interested  persons  took  pains  to  acquaint  themselves  with 
the  facts.     For  instance,  in  the  case  of  the  ship  above  men- 


54  TEE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED 

tioned  we  have  the  evidence  published  in  a  newspaper  at  the 
time,  reading  in  part  as  follows:  "During  Mr.  Quimby's 
exhibition  in  this  town  on  Wednesday  evening,  (14th  inst.) 
his  intelligent  Clairvoyant  was  in  communication  with  F. 
Clark,  Esq.,  a  respectable  merchant  of  this  place.  The 
Clairvoyant  described  to  the  audience  a  Barque  .  .  .  called 
the  Casilda  then  on  her  passage  from  Cuba  to  New  York, 
minutely  from  'clew  to  carving,'  as  seamen  say.  He  then 
informed  the  company  how  far  said  Barque  was  from  her 
destined  port,  and  gave  the  name  of  vessel  and  port  the 
distance  we  think  was  about  70  miles. 

"On  the  next  evening,  he  visited  (in  his  somnambulism) 
the  same  vessel  and  said  she  had  arrived  off  the  Hook  at  New 
York,  where  she  then  was.  On  the  Tuesday  following  this 
exhibition  the  merchants  received  a  letter  informing  them  of 
the  arrival  of  this  Barque  (see  our  Marine  Eeport)  at  the  pre- 
cise time  stated  by  the  Clairvoyant,  who  it  will  be  recollected 
is  Lucius  Bickford  [Burkmar],  a  young  man  19  years  of  age. 
"This  was  but  one  of  several  exhibitions  of  his  visiting 
absent  vessels  of  which  he  could  have  had  no  information,  and 
describing  even  the  master  and  people  on  board.  We  profess 
no  knowledge  of  this  wonderful  science,  but  deem  it  a  duty  we 
owe  to  the  public  to  publish  every  fact  that  may  aid  the  pro- 
gress of  human  knowledge." 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  fair-minded  newspaper 
writer,  while  heading  his  contribution  "Animal  Electricity," 
according  to  the  popular  notion  prevailing  at  the  time,  1844, 
expresses  his  opinion  that  "there  is  no  more  mystery  in  all 
this  than  there  is  in  repeating  a  lesson  committed."  That  is 
to  say,  he  thinks  these  facts  at  a  distance  are  discerned  by 
"the  mind's  eye."  He  was  probably  convinced,  therefore,  by 
Quimby's  argument  in  his  lectures  to  the  effect  that  there  was 
no  "fluid"  passing  between,  no  "magnetism,"  but  mind  op- 
erating on  mind  to  put  Lucius  in  possession  of  the  clue  he 
was  to  follow  when  locating  a  ship  at  a  distance  or  describing 
her  captain  and  crew. 

Quimby  tells  us  in  one  of  his  later  articles  that  very  early 
in  his  experiments  with  mesmerism  he  became  convinced  that 
Lucius  could  "see  through  matter."  That  is,  a  person  in  a 
clairvoyant  state,  with  all  his  physical  senses  quiescent,  can 
discern  in  another  person  every 'state  or  condition  ordinarily 
coming  within  the  range  of  the  five  bodily  senses.     He  was 


THE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED  55 

compelled  to  believe  this,  for  the  descriptions  which  Lucius 
gave  proved  it.  He  therefore  adopted  this  as  his  point  of 
view,  namely,  that  the  human  spirit  can  intuitively  see 
through  matter. 

His  next  interest,  he  tells  us,  in  an  article  written  in  1861, 
was  to  become  a  clairvoyant  himself,  that  is,  without  mes- 
merism. For,  having  become  convinced  that  "matter  was 
only  a  medium  for  our  wisdom  to  act  through,"  he  saw  how 
matter  could  be  transformed  by  attaching  one's  interest  to 
higher  ideas.  This  meant  ridding  the  mind  of  all  beliefs  and 
opinions  tending  to  create  miseries  and  troubles,  and  ded- 
icating the  clairvoyant  or  intuitive  powers  to  the  welfare  of 
the  sick.  Through  his  natural  state,  he  tells  us,  as  a  being  of 
flesh  and  blood,  he  could  still  feel  as  a  patient  felt.  But  in 
his  higher  selfhood  or  intuitive  state  he  was  governed  by  the 
spiritual  ideal,  "the  scientific  man."  As  this  spiritual  state 
can  be  attained  by  cultivating  "the  spiritual  senses,"  which 
function  independently  of  matter  and  see  through  matter,  it 
is  not  of  course  necessary  to  make  the  body  quiescent  through 
the  use  of  mesmerism. 

Turning  again  to  the  period  of  his  lectures,  we  find  Quimby 
also  stating  his  conviction  that  Lucius  took  his  clue  directly 
from  the  minds  of  others,  by  thought-reading  followed  by 
clairvoyance,  and  never  from  his  own  fancies.  For  Quimby 
found  that  the  results  attained  through  Lucius  varied  with 
his  own  progress.  Thus  the  fears  and  notions  which  Quimby 
entertained  as  long  as  he  believed  in  magnetism  passed  with 
his  change  of  view.  Instead  of  working  himself  up  to  the 
point  of  transferring  fancied  electricity  to  Lucius,  he  put  all 
his  efforts  into  creating  a  mental  picture  for  Lucius  to  see  in 
his  mind.  In  either  case  it  was  plain  that  Lucius  saw  or  did 
what  was  commanded  when  he  gained  the  attention  of  his 
subject.  Until  the  subject  gave  his  full  attention,  nothing 
resulted.  So  in  the  case  of  clairvoyance,  the  subject  would 
see  any  object  to  which  his  attention  was  called.  If  a  failure 
occurred,  the  fault  was  the  operator's  not  that  of  the 
subject. 

Here,  then  was  a  highly  important  discovery.  Quimby 
found  that  with  his  great  powers  of  concentration  he  had 
great  success  in  arresting  the  attention  of  his  subject.  This 
in  brief  was  his  control  over  him.  But  if  certain  results 
follow  from  arrested  attention  in  the  case  of  a  person  in  the 


5G  TEE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED 

mesmeric  sleep,  why  may  not  self-induced  results  follow  upon 
attention  in  the  case  of  any  one  of  us?  Does  this  not  explain 
many  of  the  ancient  mysteries,  and  the  self-induced  states  of 
Apollonius  of  Tyana,  Mahomet  and  Swedenborg? 

At  this  point  Quimby's  lecture-notes  come  to  a  sudden  end, 
and  we  are  left  to  infer  that  having  reached  these  significant 
conclusions  he  was  not  interested  to  lecture  upon  them  any 
further,  but  might  better  turn  his  results  to  practical  account 
in  liealing  the  sick.  For  these  notes  show  that  here  too  he 
had  reached  the  same  conclusion  which  we  noted  in  the  fore- 
going, namely,  that  the  results  produced  by  physicians  in 
treating  the  sick  depend  upon  securing  the  attention  of  the 
patient  in  favor  of  a  certain  diagnosis  and  the  proper  medi- 
cine to  be  taken  for  the  supposed  disease.  In  fact  he  says, 
convincingly,  that  "all  medical  remedies  affect  the  body  only 
through  the  mind."  The  one  who  takes  medicine  must 
believe  in  medicine  and  anticipate  the  desired  result.  The 
result  is  then  created  by  the  believer. 

Here,  then,  were  interests  enough  to  follow  for  a  life-time. 
The  human  mind  is  plastic  to  ideas  and  imagery,  and  these 
take  form  according  to  belief.  What  enlists  the  attention 
long  enough  to  produce  a  distinct  impression,  has  power  to 
affect  the  body,  and  an  idea  accepted  as  truth  is  as  good  as 
reality  in  its  influence  upon  the  person  believing  it.  Thus  a 
person  may  be  made  to  feel  heat  or  cold,  to  be  frightened  by 
the  mental  picture  of  a  lion,  or  be  dispossessed  of  a  desire  to 
eat  lemons.  There  is  an  endless  range  of  possibilities.  Be- 
lief in  magnetism  on  the  part  of  an  audience  tends  to  the 
production  of  anticipated  magnetic  phenomena,  but  the  re- 
sults change  when  the  hypothesis  of  a  magnetic  or  electric 
"fluid"  is  dismissed.  Spirits  can  be  summoned  up  from  the 
vasty  deep,  or  precisely  the  same  results  may  be  created  with- 
out their  aid.  A  patient  will  proceed  to  create  a  disease 
according  to  a  doctor's  description  of  what  he  is  likely  to  feel, 
or  this  process  can  be  checked  by  diverting  the  attention  in 
favor  of  some  other  idea. 

Again,  man  has  great  power  over  his  own  states,  and  need 
not  depend  either  on  a  mesmerist,  a  spiritist,  physician  or 
any  other  person.  For  strength  of  will  proves  to  be,  not  the 
power  of  a  fluid  or  current,  but  concentration  upon  an  in- 
terest or  object  that  has  engaged  the  attention.  There  is 
nothing  occult  or  uncanny  in  such  power.     There  is  no  reason 


THE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED  57 

for  yielding  our  minds  to  control,  or  for  controlling  the  minds 
of  others.  Since  a  person  may  perceive  the  feelings  of  an- 
other by  simply  sitting  near-by  and  rendering  himself 
receptive,  it  is  not  necessary  to  put  the  mind  into  any  special 
state,  hitherto  deemed  a  mystery.  The  great  question  is, 
What  is  that  part  of  us  which  has  power  to  penetrate  beneath 
all  errors  and  illusions,  and  learn  what  is  true?  What  is 
truth  in  contrast  with  beliefs? 

Quimby's  mind  was  of  the  type  that  leads  to  science  as 
opposed  to  mere  belief.  He  had  come  in  contact  with  facts  at 
last,  and  learned  how  the  human  mind  works  under  the  influ- 
ence of  suggestion.  He  sought  one  consistent  explanation 
which  could  be  followed  through  to  the  end  and  proved  by 
practical  experience.  He  took  no  interest  in  results  following 
upon  mere  theories,  such  as  those  proposed  by  mesmerists 
and  spiritists.  There  must  be  a  deeper  science  than  so- 
called  medical  science.  Moreover,  he  was  beginning  to  see 
that  religious  creeds  were  not  much  better.  "What  we 
believe,  that  we  create."  What  then  shall  we  create  that  is 
worth  while? 

We  might  expect  him  to  raise  the  world-old  problem  con- 
cerning the  reality  of  matter,  especially  as  he  had  heard 
something  about  Berkeley's  views.  But  he  never  mentions 
Berkeley  again,  after  these  notes  of  the  period  from  1843  to 
1847.  We  might  expect  continued  interest  in  such  men  as 
Swedenborg,  but  there  is  no  reference  to  Swedenborg  save 
this  one,  when  it  is  a  question  of  self-induced  inner  states. 
Quimby's  brief  studies  when  in  quest  of  light  on  mesmerism 
apparently  convinced  him  that  there  was  little  of  value  for 
him  in  books,  and  that  he  must  explore  for  himself.  More- 
over, spiritualism  came  upon  the  scene  to  take  the  place  of 
mesmerism  in  public  interest,  he  was  concerned  to  follow  this 
to  the  end,  too;  and  he  must  make  his  way  alone  by  follow- 
ing experience.  To  the  end  of  his  life,  so  far  as  his  notes 
and  manuscripts  can  tell  us,  he  remained  sceptical  concern- 
ing spiritistic  phenomena,  and  confined  himself  to  a  study  of 
the  experiences  taking  place  within  the  human  personality  in 
this  world.  This  did  not  prevent  him  from  acquiring  a  new 
view  of  death  and  of  the  relationship  of  the  human  spirit  to 
God.  But  after  1847  we  find  his  eyes  definitely  turned  in 
the  direction  which  led  to  the  development  of  his  "Science 
of  Health." 


58  THE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED 

With  reference  to  the  rumor  current  in  his  later  years 
that  his  views  were  unchanged,  Quimby  writes  in  1862,  "As  I 
used  to  mesmerise,  some  think  my  mode  of  treatment  is 
mesmeric.  But  my  mode  is  not  in  the  least  like  those  who 
claim  to  be  mesmerised,  or  to  be  spiritual  mediums."  Adding 
that  he  knows  all  about  mesmeric  treatment,  after  "twenty 
years"  since  he  began  the  experiments  which  enabled  him  to 
see  through  it,  he  says  that  if  he  "liad  no  other  aim  than 
dollars  and  cents,"  he  would  close  his  eyes,  go  into  a  trance, 
tell  the  patient  how  he  felt  and  call  some  Indian  to  prescribe 
by  making  out  the  patient  "sick  of  scrofula  or  of  cancerous 
humor  or  some  other  foolish  disease,"  and  impress  upon 
the  patient  the  necessity  of  having  medicine  ordered  by  the 
spirits  of  his  "own  getting  up."  That  is,  he  sees  through 
the  whole  game  played  by  mesmerists  and  mediums  who 
mislead  the  people  and  take  their  money.  "If  I  should 
do  this,  I  should  do  what  I  know  to  be  wrong."  Instead, 
he  tells  his  readers  that  he  asks  "no  aid  from  any  source  but 
Wisdom.  .  .  .     Wisdom  never  acts  in  that  way." 

Again,  in  October,  1861,  Quimby  writes:  "It  is  twenty 
years  since  I  first  embarked  in  what  was  one  of  the  greatest 
humbugs  of  the  age,  mesmerism.  At  that  time  the  people 
were  as  superstitious  about  it  as  they  were  two  hundred  years 
ago  in  regard  to  witchcraft." 

What  was  the  prime  result  of  his  investigations?  That 
the  human  mind  is  amenable  to  suggestion,  as  we  now  say; 
that  there  are  subjects  capable  of  being  put  into  a  state  which 
we  now  call  hypnosis ;  and  that  the  alleged  magnetic,  elec- 
trical or  mesmeric  effects  are  not  mysterious  at  all,  but  are 
the  results  of  the  action  of  mind  on  mind.  The  alleged  hum- 
bug was  reduced  to  the  operation  of  a  principle  to  which  we 
are  all  subject,  the  influence  of  thought.  The  supposed 
wonders  of  the  clairvoyant  state  are  capital  instances  of  the 
activity  of  an  intuition  which  we  all  possess.  There  is  no 
such  process  as  "mesmerism,"  therefore.  There  is  no  "mag- 
netic healing."  There  is  power  of  one  mind  to  control 
another,  to  be  sure,  and  this  was  surely  remarkable  in  the  case 
of  Quimby  and  Lucius.  But  the  clairvoyant  or  intuitive 
powers  of  Lucius  were  not  generated  in  Lucius  by  Quimby: 
these  are  latent  powers  of  the  human  soul,  and  all  minds  have 
access  to  things,  persons  and  events  at  a  distance.  All  healing 
said  to  take  place  by  mesmeric,  spiritistic  or  magnetic  in- 


THE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED  59 

fluences  occurs  according  to  one  principle :  the  only  principle 
of  healing  in  every  instance  whatever,  natural  and 
Divine,  according  to  resident  energies  and  unchanging  laws. 
There  could  be  no  mesmeric  or  magnetic  science  of  healing, 
any  more  than  there  exists  a  medical  science:  the  one  true 
science  is  spiritual.  No  one  who  sees  this  could  ever  be 
content  to  practise  upon  the  credulity  of  tlie  people,  instilling 
suggestions  into  their  minds  under  the  guise  of  a  "trance" 
or  by  the  aid  of  hypnosis.  Hence  Quimby's  work  from  this 
time  on  was  to  expose  what  he  called  the  deception  practised  by 
physicians,  just  as  he  exposed  priestcraft,  tlie  humbuggery 
of  mediumship,  and  the  fallacies  of  every  sort  of  imposition 
turning  upon  the  acceptance  of  opinion  for  truth. 

Had  ]\Irs.  Eddy  known  this,  she  would  have  seen  the 
futility  of  calling  Quimby  an  "ignorant  mesmerist"  at  any 
point  in  his  career.  An  unenlightened  mesmerist  he  was 
just  as  long  as  he  adopted  the  prevailing  theories,  while 
trying  them  out.  His  own  mind  was  free  and  his  world  of 
tliought  a  free  one  from  the  time  he  saw  that  the  right  thing 
to  do  was  to  seek  that  Wisdom  which  "disabuses  the  mind  of 
its  errors."  It  then  became  necessary  to  draw  a  radical  line 
of  distinction  between  the  "mind  of  opinions,"  subject  to 
suggestions  and  in  certain  instances  to  hypnosis;  and  the 
"mind  of  Science,"  the  "mind  of  Christ,"  possessed  by  the 
real  self.  It  was  a  long  road  to  travel  from  the  point  where 
Quimby  started  out,  a  believer  in  medical  practice  and  a 
student  of  mesmerism,  to  faith  in  an  inner  or  higher  self 
immediately  open  to  the  Divine  presence  with  its  guiding 
Wisdom  quickening  the  "mind  of  Christ."  The  guide 
throughout  was  love  of  truth,  leading  the  way  to  inductions 
from  actual  experience.  One  of  his  patients  who  understood 
the  prime  results  as  he  saw  them  fulfilled  in  Quimby's  work 
among  the  sick  has  said : 

"This  discovery,  you  observe,  was  not  made  from  the  Bible, 
but  from  mental  plienomena  and  searching  investigations; 
and,  after  the  truth  was  discovered,  he  found  his  new  views 
portrayed  and  illustrated  in  Christ's  teachings  and  works. 
If  you  think  this  seems  to  show  that  Quimby  was  a  remark- 
able man,  let  me  tell  5'ou  that  he  was  one  of  the  most  un- 
assuming of  men  that  ever  lived;  for  no  one  could  well  be 
more  so,  or  make  less  account  of  his  ox^ti  achievements. 
Humility  was  a  marked  feature  of  his  character  (I  knew  him 


60  THE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED 

intimately).  To  this  was  united  a  benevolent  and  an  un- 
eelfish  nature,  and  a  love  of  truth,  with  a  remarkably  keen 
perception.  But  the  distinguishing  feature  of  his  mind  was 
that  he  could  not  entertain  an  opinion,  because  it  was  not 
knowledge.  His  faculties  were  so  practical  and  perceptive 
that  the  wisdom  of  mankind,  which  is  largely  made  up  of 
opinions,  was  of  little  value  to  him.  Hence  the  charge  that 
he  was  not  an  educated  man  is  literally  true.  True  know- 
ledge to  him  was  positive  proof,  as  in  a  problem  of  mathe- 
matics. Therefore,  he  discarded  books  and  sought  phenom- 
ena, where  his  perceptive  faculties  made  him  master  of  the 
situation.  Therefore,  he  got  from  his  experiments  in  mes- 
merism what  other  men  did  not  get, — a  stepping-stone  to  a 
higher  knowledge  than  man  possessed,  and  a  new  range  to 
mental  vision."^ 

Quimby  sums  up  his  results  in  one  of  his  tentative  intro- 
ductions, in  which  he  says : 

"My  object  in  introducing  this  work  to  the  reader  is  to 
correct  some  of  the  errors  that  flesh  is  heir  to.  During  a 
long  experience  in  the  treatment  of  disease  I  have  labored 
to  find  the  causes  of  so  much  misery  in  the  world.  By  acci- 
dent I  became  interested  in  what  was  then  called  mesmerism, 
not  thinking  of  ever  applying  it  to  any  useful  discovery  or  to 
benefit  man,  but  merely  as  a  phenomenon  for  my  own  grati- 
fication. Being  a  sceptic  I  would  not  believe  anything  that 
my  subject  would  do  if  there  was  any  chance  for  deception,  so 
all  my  experiments  were  carried  on  mentally.  This  gave  me  a 
chance  to  discover  how  far  Mesmer  was  entitled  to  any 
discovery  over  those  who  had  followed  him,  I  found  that 
the  phenomenon  could  be  produced.  This  was  a  truth  but 
the  whys  and  wherefores  were  a  mystery.  This  is  the  length 
of  mesmerism,  it  is  all  a  mystery,  like  spiritualism.  Each 
has  its  belief  but  the  causes  are  in  the  dark.  Believing  in  the 
phenomenon  I  wanted  to  discover  the  causes  and  find  if  there 
were  any  good  to  come  out  of  it. 

"In  my  investigation  I  found  that  my  ignorance  would 
produce  phenomena  in  my  subject  that  my  own  wisdom 
could  not  correct.  At  first  I  found  that  my  thoughts  affected 
the  subject,  and  not  only  my  thought  but  my  belief.  I  found 
that  my  own  thoughts  were  one  thing  and  my  belief  another. 

1  J.  A.  Dresser  in  the  "True  History,"  p.  10. 


TEE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED  Gl 

If  I  really  believed  in  anything,  the  effect  would  follow 
whether  I  was  thinking  of  it  or  not.  For  instance,  1  believed 
that  silk  would  attract  the  subject.  This  was  a  belief  in 
common  with  mankind,  so  if  a  person  having  any  silk  about 
him,  for  instance  a  lady  with  a  silk  apron,  the  subject's  hand 
would  be  affected  by  it  and  the  hand  would  move  towards  the 
lady,  even  if  she  were  behind  him.  So  I  found  that  belief  in 
everything  affects  us,  yet  we  are  not  aware  of  it  because  we  do 
not  think.  We  think  our  beliefs  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
phenomenon.  But  anything  that  is  believed  has  reality  to 
those  that  believe  it,  and  it  is  liable  to  affect  them  at  any  time 
when  the  condition  of  the  mind  is  in  a  right  state. 

"Minds  are  like  clouds,  always  flying,  and  our  belief  catches 
them  as  the  earth  catches  seeds  that  fly  in  the  winds.  My 
object  was  to  discover  what  a  belief  was  made  of  and  what 
thought  was.  This  I  found  out  by  thinking  of  something 
Lucius  could  describe,  so  that  I  knew  he  must  see  or  get  the 
information  from  me  in  some  way;  at  last  I  found  out  that 
mind  was  something  that  could  be  changed.  I  called  it 
spiritual  matter,  because  I  found  it  could  be  condensed  into  a 
solid  and  receive  a  name  called  "tumor,"  and  by  the  same 
power  under  a  different  direction  it  might  be  dissolved  and 
made  to  disappear.  This  showed  me  that  man  was  governed 
by  two  powers  or  directions,  one  by  a  belief,  the  other  by  a 
science.  The  creating  of  disease  is  under  the  superstition  of 
man's  belief.  [Conventional]  cures  have  been  by  the  same 
remedy.  Disease  being  brought  about  through  a  false  belief, 
it  took  another  false  belief  to  correct  the  first ;  so  that  instead 
of  destroying  the  evil,  the  remedy  created  more. 

"I  found  that  there  is  a  Wisdom  that  can  be  applied  to 
these  errors  or  evils  that  can  put  man  in  possession  of  a 
Science  that  will  not  only  destroy  the  evil  but  will  hold  up  its 
serpent  head,  as  Moses  in  the  wilderness  held  up  the  errors  of 
religious  creeds,  and  all  that  looked  upon  his  explanation  were 
cured  of  the  diseases  that  followed  their  beliefs.  Science 
will  hold  up  these  old  superstitious  beliefs  and  theories  and 
all  that  listen  and  learn  can  be  cured  not  only  of  the  disease 
that  they  may  be  suffering  from  but  they  will  know  how  to 
avoid  the  errors  of  others. 

"I  shall  endeavor  to  give  a  fair  account  of  my  investigations 
and  what  I  have  had  to  contend  with  and  how  I  succeeded. 
I  have  said  many  things  in  regard  to  medical  science  but  all 


62  THE  PRINCIPLES  DISCOVERED 

that  I  have  said  was  called  out  by  my  patients  being  deceived 
by  tlie  profession.  The  same  is  true  of  the  religious  pro- 
fession. Every  article  was  written  under  an  excited  state 
brought  about  by  some  wrong  inflicted  on  my  patient  by  the 
medical  faculty,  the  clergy  or  public  opinion.  All  my 
arguments  are  used  to  correct  some  false  opinion  that  has 
affected  my  patient  in  the  form  of  disease,  mentally  or  phys- 
ically. In  doing  this  I  have  to  explain  the  Bible,  for 
troubles  arise  from  a  wrong  belief  in  certain  passages,  and 
when  I  am  sitting  by  my  patient  those  passages  that  cause 
trouble  also  trouble  me,  and  the  passage  comes  to  me  with  the 
explanation  and  I,  as  a  man,  am  not  aware  of  the  answer  till 
I  find  it  out  [intuitively]. 

"There  is  a  wisdom  that  has  never  been  reduced  to  lan- 
guage. The  science  of  curing  disease  has  never  been  des- 
cribed by  language,  but  the  error  that  makes  disease  is  in  the 
mouth  of  every  child.  The  remedies  are  also  described  but 
the  remedies  are  worse  than  the  disease,  for  instead  of 
lessening  the  evil,  they  have  increased  it.  In  fact  the  theory 
of  correcting  disease  is  the  introduction  of  life." 


VI 

INTERMEDIATE  PERIOD 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Lucius,  when  referring  to  some  of 
Quimby's  works  of  healing  known  as  miracles,  speaks  of  the 
fact  that  Quimby  "worked  over"  patients  unable  to  walk  or 
move  their  arms.  Apparently,  manipulation  was  employed 
to  some  extent  in  such  cases,  possibly  because  the  belief  still 
prevailed  that  a  "fluid"  passed  from  operator  to  patient.  We 
find  confirmation  of  this  in  the  biographical  account  al- 
ready quoted  from. 

"He  sometimes,"  writes  George  Quimby,  "in  cases  of  lame- 
ness and  sprains,  manipulated  the  limbs  of  the  patient,  and 
often  rabbed  the  head  with  his  hands,  wetting  them  with 
water.  He  said  it  was  so  hard  for  the  patient  to  believe  that 
his  mere  talk  with  him  produced  the  cure,  that  he  did  this 
rubbing  simply  that  the  patient  would  have  more  confidence 
in  him;  but  he  always  insisted  that  he  possessed  no  'power' 
nor  healing  properties  different  from  any  one  else,  and  that 
his  manipulations  conferred  no  beneficial  effect  upon  the 
patient,  although  it  was  often  the  case  that  the  patient  him- 
self thought  they  did."  ^ 

Again,  we  have  the  testimony  of  a  patient  who  remained 
with  Mr.  Quimby  for  several  years,  meeting  the  new  comers 
and  conversing  with  them  both  before  and  after  they  received 
treatment.  Mr.  Dresser  says,  "In  treating  a  patient,  after  he 
had  finished  his  explanations,  and  the  silent  work,  which  com- 
pleted the  treatment,  he  usually  rubbed  the  head  two  or  three 
minutes,  in  a  brisk  manner,  for  the  purpose  of  letting  the 
patient  see  that  something  was  done.  This  was  a  measure  of 
securing  the  confidence  of  the  patient,  at  a  time  when  he  was 
starting  a  new  practice,  and  stood  alone  in  it.  I  knew  him  to 
make  many  quick  cures  at  a  distance,  sometimes  with  persons 
he  never  saw  at  all.     He  never  considered  the  touch  of  the 

1  New  England  Magazine,  March,  1888,  p.  272. 

63 


G4  INTERMEDIATE  PERIOD 

hand  as  at  all  necessary,  but  let  it  be  governed  by  circum- 
stances, as  was  done  1800  years  ago."^ 

Bearing  this  explanation  in  mind,  when  we  come  to  read 
Quimby's  letters  to  patients,  we  will  understand  why  he 
speaks  as  if  he  were  putting  his  hand  on  a  person's  head  at  a 
long  distance,  that  is,  during  an  absent  treatment.  This  was 
to  engage  the  patient's  attention  and  arouse  faith.  The  ex- 
planation becomes  perfectly  intelligible,  when  we  see  the 
reason  for  it.  There  could  be  no  reason  for  the  bare  state- 
ment, made  many  years  after,  that  Quimby  "manipulated  his 
patients,"  without  giving  the  above  explanation,  unless  the 
one  who  said  it  wished  to  misrepresent  the  great  spiritual 
healer. 

The  other  typical  misrepresentation,  namely,  that  he  was  a 
spiritualist,  was  made  in  his  own  day,  and  is  undermined  by 
Quimby's  adverse  critique  of  spiritism  as  a  whole.  There  was 
no  reason  for  unfriendly  feeling  in  this  case.  But  the  new 
therapeutist  was  popular  in  his  later  days,  spiritism  was 
struggling  for  recognition;  hence  it  was  natural  for  spiritis- 
tic mediums  who  claimed  to  do  healing  to  include  Quimby  as 
one  of  their  number.  It  was  clearly  impossible  for  Quimby  to 
give  assent,  and  to  change  to  spiritism ;  for  his  researches  led 
him  to  believe  that  all  ordinary  spiritistic  phenomena  could 
be  reproduced  without  the  aid  of  mediums  and  without  re- 
course to  spirits. 

The  sleep  into  which  he  put  Lucius  was  akin  to  the 
"trance,"  as  mediums  knew  it.  The  suggestions  in  this  case 
came  from  people  in  the  audience  who  visualized  places  they 
wanted  the  subject  to  visit,  or  held  ideas  in  mind  for  Lucius 
to  read.  The  phenomena  could  be  explained  by  the  action  of 
mind  on  mind,  in  the  flesh.  Consequently,  Quimby  held  close 
to  the  facts.  Moreover,  his  own  powers  of  receptivity  and 
intuition  were  growing.  By  sitting  near  patients,  he  learned 
to  diagnose  their  condition,  and  also  learned  to  read  their 
mental  states.  Therefore  it  was  possible  for  him  to  make  the 
complete  transition  from  mesmerism  and  all  psychical 
phenomena  akin  to  it  to  the  adoption  of  his  spiritual  method 
of  treating  disease,  that  is,  by  the  aid  of  intuition  or  direct 
perception,  through  "silence"  without  mediumship. 

On  this  point  George  Quimby  writes,  "He  was  always  in  his 
normal  condition  when  engaged  with  his  patients.     He  never 

i"True  History,"  p.  25. 


INTERMEDIATE  PERIOD  65 

went  into  any  trance,  and  was  a  strong  disbeliever  in  spirit- 
ualism, as  understood  by  that  name.  He  claimed,  and  firmly 
believed,  that  his  only  power  consisted  in  his  wisdom,  and  in 
his  understanding  the  patient's  case  and  being  able  to  explain 
away  the  error  and  establish  the  truth,  or  health,  in  its  place. 
Very  frequently  the  patient  could  not  tell  how  he  was  cured, 
but  it  did  not  follow  that  Mr.  Quimby  himself  was  ignorant 
of  the  manner  in  which  he  performed  the  cure."  ^ 

There  is  less  documentary  evidence  to  draw  upon  in  the 
years  after  1847,  the  date  of  the  last  experiment  in  mesmerism 
of  which  we  have  record,  and  the  time  when  Dr.  Quimby  was 
in  full  possession  of  his  silent  method  of  healing.  Naturally 
newspaper  writers  were  less  interested,  for  this  new  work  was 
not  at  all  spectacular,  like  the  public  exhibitions  with  Lucius. 
Moreover,  it  was  harder  to  understand.  For  there  was  now 
no  "subject,"  there  were  in  fact  no  experiments,  but  simply 
the  quiet  development  of  a  method  in  which  Dr.  Quimby 
depended  upon  his  own  impressions  and  intuitions. 

So  long  as  it  was  a  question  of  alleged  magnetism 
Quimby's  work  was  subject  to  belief  in  the  mysterious,  and  he 
himself  was  groping  his  way  from  belief  in  the  medical 
faculty  and  in  disease  as  an  entity  to  a  wholly  different  view. 
But  when  he  comes  to  recognize  the  subtle  influence  of  mind 
on  mind,  the  power  of  what  we  now  call  suggestion,  the  ex- 
pectant attention  of  onlookers,  and  his  own  ability  to  make  an 
intuitive  diagnosis  in  a  wholly  normal  state,  we  find  his 
thought  moving  in  the  realm  of  sure  principles  and  fixed 
laws.  His  letters  to  patients  indicate  that  he  still  gave  much 
prominence  to  physical  conditions,  and  advised  his  patients 
with  reference  to  them.  But  that  was  because  the  patients 
must  have  concrete  facts  to  interpret,  substituting  Quimby's 
new  view  for  that  of  medical  diagnosis.  The  patients 
ordinarily  had  no  one  to  depend  on  save  Dr.  Quimby,  since 
such  healing  was  not  then  recognized.  Hence  they  wrote 
frequently  to  him  and  reported  their  progress,  that  he  might 
advise  them  anew. 

Again,  the  experimental  period  was  in  a  measure  more 
intelligible  to  the  public  because  the  mesmeric  activities 
turned  upon  the  control  of  one  mind  by  another.  The  ex-' 
cerpts  quoted  above  have  told  us  that  Quimby  had  exceptional 
powers   of   concentration   and   remarkable   control   over   his 

1  A'eic  England  Magazine,  March,  1888,  p,  273. 


66  INTERMEDIATE  PERIOD 

subject.  The  change  which  he  passed  through  in  the  in- 
termediate period  was  from  the  idea  of  merely  human  control 
to  that  of  inner  receptivity  to  Divine  wisdom,  and  the  dedi- 
cation of  all  powers  of  concentration  to  the  carrying  out  of 
spiritual  ideals.  This  change  was  hard  to  follow,  since  few 
people  believed  in  such  direct  access  to  higher  wisdom,  and  all 
thoughts  directed  to  another's  mind  were  supposedly  for  the 
sake  of  controlling  that  mind.  The  prevailing  interest  in 
spiritism  was  no  help,  for  that  theory  also  encouraged  belief 
in  the  mere  action  of  one  spirit  on  another;  it  did  not  trace 
guidance  to  the  Divine  mind.  The  teachings  of  the  Church 
were  not  favorable,  for  Dr.  Quimby's  work  centered  interest 
upon  the  patient's  own  inner  life  at  large,  not  upon  the  mere 
problems  of  sin  and  salvation.  Therefore,  the  new  trail  had 
to  be  blazed  alone. 

Still  further,  Quimby's  reaction  against  medical  theory  and 
practice  in  his  experimental  period  was  a  reaction  from  all 
sciences  based  on  external  signs  or  appearances,  matters  that 
could  not  be  proved.  His  most  frequent  reference  is  to 
"opinion"  taken  for  truth,  and  his  early  articles  are  directed 
against  all  such  suggestions  or  assertions.  There  must  then 
be  a  true  Science,  so  he  reasoned,  which  is  indeed  verifiable. 
This  wisdom  will  take  into  account  man's  real  as  opposed  to 
his  apparent  condition.  It  will  not  deny  the  actuality  of 
human  beliefs  accepted  as  truth,  while  the  spell  is  unbroken; 
it  will  break  that  spell  and  show  people  that  an  error  regarded 
as  truth  is  for  the  time  being  as  real  as  life  itself.  It  will 
therefore  build  upon  psychological  facts,  but  higher  facts 
must  gradually  be  brought  into  view. 

The  basis  for  this  Science  was  laid  in  a  measure  by  the 
discovery  that  the  human  spirit  possesses  senses  or  powers 
which  function  independently  of  matter.  These  "spiritual 
senses,"  as  Quimby  later  called  them,  include  not  merely  sight 
or  clairvoyance  but  the  power  of  detecting  odors  and  atmos- 
pheres at  a  distance,  the  ability  to  read  another's  mind,  and  to 
travel  in  spirit,  making  oneself  both  felt  and  seen — if  the 
recipient  of  such  a  visit  were  himself  clairvoyant.  For  the 
higher  purposes  now  in  view  it  did  not  very  much  matter 
whether  Lucius  had  actually  seen  the  condition  of  a  diseased 
body  or  had  merely  read  from  the  patient's  mind,  and  from 
the  minds  of  others  present,  what  the  patient  or  others  merely 
thought  was  the  disease;  in  either  case  the  clairvoyant  feat 


INTERMEDIATE  PERIOD  67 

was  significant.  It  established  the  fact  that  clairvoyance  was 
possible  without  the  aid  of  spirits;  and,  when  Quimby  found 
that  he  possessed  the  same  powers,  it  established  the  fact  that 
this  clear-seeing  is  possible  without  mesmeric  sleep.  What 
was  needed,  therefore,  was  a  higher,  genuinely  spiritual 
psychology.  We  find  Quimby  in  his  articles  endeavoring  to 
express  that  psychology,  always  greatly  hampered  by  lan- 
guage and  the  fact  that  he  had  no  co-workers  save  those  who 
helped  him  to  express  his  ideas. 

But  if  the  facts  of  spiritual  perception  gave  the  basis  in 
part  for  a  higher  view  of  the  human  spirit,  there  was  still 
another  principle  to  be  achieved,  that  is,  the  adding  of  the 
idea  of  "the  Christ"  as  common  to  the  works  of  healing  of 
Gospel  times  and  to  those  of  the  new  day.  There  are  no 
references  to  this  idea  in  the  earlier  newspaper  articles  which 
have  been  preserved  or  in  the  earliest  letters  to  patients.  But 
when  we  turn  to  later  letters  and  to  the  first  articles  written 
in  the  Portland  period,  in  1859  and  early  in  1860,  we  find 
this  idea  in  full  recognition  as  an  essential  part  of  the  teach- 
ing then  given.  This  shows  that  if  it  passed  through  a 
period  of  gradual  development,  that  development  must  have 
been  begun  long  before;  since  this  view  is  not  brought  for- 
ward tentatively  but  with  habitual  conviction. 

On  the  other  hand,  we  do  find  references  in  letters  from 
patients  to  Quimby's  "Science,"  written  with  a  capital  "S." 
This  would  indicate  that  in  conversation  with  patients  Dr. 
Quimby  was  in  the  habit  of  talking  about  his  "Science  of 
Health"  long  before  he  put  this  view  in  writing  and  iden- 
tified it  with  the  Christ.  What  we  must  presuppose,  in  order 
to  have  a  complete  view  of  his  intermediate  period  up  to 
October,  1859,  is  an  insight  which  brought  the  principles 
under  consideration  into  a  single  view,  namely,  the  conception 
of  the  human  spirit  with  its  higher  "senses,"  the  idea  of  the 
Divine  presence  as  guiding  wisdom  and  healing  power,  and 
the  identification  of  this  wisdom  with  the  Christ  in  terms  of 
a  demonstrable  Science  which  all  might  understand. 

We  are  not  to  suppose  that  Dr.  Quimby  quickly  transferred 
his  exceptional  powers  of  control  as  formerly  exercised  over 
Lucius  into  immediate  command  of  his  forces  so  that  he  was 
never  ill,  never  had  any  disabilities  to  overcome.  For  the 
transition  began  with  the  realization  that  he  could  readily 
take  upon  himself  the  feelings  of  patients,  and  that  a  way 


68  INTERMEDIATE  PERIOD 

must  be  found  to  throw  off  these  feelings.  Already  in 
Lucius's  journal  we  find  reference  to  the  fact  that  Quimby 
sometimes  found  himself  enveloped  in  mental  atmospheres. 
Later,  we  find  Quimby  hesitating  to  take  a  patient  with  fits, 
because  of  the  difficulty  he  experienced  in  keeping  himself 
mentally  free.  In  their  letters,  his  patients  sometimes  in- 
quire about  his  health,  because  they  too  realized  that  it  was 
difficult    for    Ihim    to    throw    off    his    patients'     troubles. 

These  difficulties  are  instructive  to  us,  however,  since  they 
indicate  that  in  thus  gradually  learning  to  keep  his  own 
spirit  free  by  realizing  the  protective  presence  of  "Wisdom," 
as  he  briefly  called  God's  power  with  us,  he  passed  through 
a  period  of  analyzing  hiB  patient's  feelings  by  making 
himself  receptive,  allowing  those  feelings  to  impress  them- 
selves upon  the  sensitive-plate  of  his  mind  (his  own  illus- 
tration, drawn  from  his  experience  with  photography), 
and  then  comparing  them  with  the  Divine  ideal.  For  this 
contrast  was  essential  to  his  Science.  It  led  the  way  to  his 
view  that  there  is  a  part  of  us,  namely,  the  spirit,  that  is 
never  sick,  never  sins;  but  is  what  he  called  "the  scientific 
man,"  the  man  of  Christ  or  Science,  in  his  articles  on  this 
subject.  Had  he  not  possessed  exceptional  sympathy,  so 
sensitive  a  sympathy  in  fact  that  it  was  difficult  at  times 
to  put  a  patient's  atmosphere  aside,  he  would  not  have 
developed  so  sure  a  view  of  the  whole  situation  in  the 
inner  life.  Even  in  the  last  years  of  his  practice  in  Portland 
he  found  difficulties  in  this  respect,  and  had  to  leave  his 
practice  for  brief  periods  of  rest  at  his  old  home  in  Belfast. 
The  sick  often  tended  to  overwhelm  him.  Yet  one  of  the 
secrets  of  his  remarkable  cures  is  found  in  this  willingness 
even  to  bear  the  burdens  of  the  sick  and  sorrowing,  that 
he  might  see  through  their  miseries  to  the  end  and  establish 
a  science  of  right  living  which  all  might  know  and  all 
could  live  by. 

Those  who,  in  recent  times,  have  acquired  the  art  of 
mental  healing  by  standing  apart  from  the  patient  and  putting 
the  mind  through  a  series  of  affirmations,  meanwhile  keep- 
ing themselves  comfortably  free  from  all  atmospheres,  should 
hesitate  to  conclude  that  they  possess  a  method  superior  to 
Quimby's,  because  he  found  difficulty  in  keeping  free.  Very 
few  mortals  are  willing  to  undergo  such  sacrifices  as  the 
pioneer  had  to  make  to  blaze  the  way  for  the  use  of  his 


INTERMEDIATE  PERIOD  69 

silent  niethod  in  comfort  and  ease.  At  a  distance  it  might 
seem  as  if  the  pioneer  were  lost  in  the  woods  of  mental  in- 
fluences, not  blazing  a  straight  way  through.  But  it  is  the 
one  who  has  encountered  all  the  difficulties  and  found  the 
way  through,  who  knows  the  sorrow  and  sufferings  because 
he  has  borne  them  in  sympathy,  who  can  tell  us  the  whole 
story.  And,  plainly,  the  affirmation  or  silent  realization 
is  only  a  part  of  the  process  as  our  pioneer  developed  it 
stage  by  stage  in  his  journey.  Had  that  part  been  sufficient 
he  might  have  turned  more  quickly  from  his  mesmeric 
experiments  to  the  utilization  of  ideal  suggestions  as  sub- 
stitutes for  medical  and  priestly  opinion,  he  might  have 
remained  on  the  level  of  mind-to-mind  projection  of  human 
thought.  But  his  guidances  led  him  far  beyond  all  this 
to  the  conclusion  that  in  taking  the  sufferings  of  patients 
upon  himself  he  was  learning  the  way  of  the  Christ,  coming 
to  learn  God's  presence  as  love. 

There  is  one  further  point  to  note  in  reading  the  letters 
and  accounts  of  the  intermediate  period,  that  is,  the  frequent 
references  to  the  mind  as  if  it  were  merely  part  of  the  body 
or  identical  with  the  "fluids"  of  the  organism.  Dr.  Quimby 
has  found  that  opinions  and  adverse  mental  pictures  take 
such  hold  upon  the  mind  that  they  produce  what  we  would 
now  call  subconscious  after-effects.  He  has  found  that  these 
disturbing  mental  states,  believed  in  and  increasing  in  power 
through  fear  and  other  disturbing  emotions,  bring  about 
changes  in  the  nervous  system,  in  the  circulation,  and  in 
other  ways.  But  he  lacks  the  common  term,  subconsciousness, 
and  so  is  compelled  to  speak,  now  as  if  the  mind  were 
constituted  of  thoughts  simply,  again  as  if  it  were  the  mere 
nervous  activities  and  the  circulation  of  the  blood.  This 
is  why  he  refers  to  the  mind  as  "the  name  of  something, 
and  this  something  is  the  fluids  of  the  body.  Disease  is 
the  name  of  the  disturbance  of  these  fluids  or  mind."  Later 
we  shall  see  that  by  the  term  mind  used  in  this  sense 
Dr.  Quimby  always  means  the  lower  mental  processes,  never 
the  real  self.  This  is  "the  mind  that  can  be  changed,"  the 
mind  that  is  subject  to  every  wind  of  doctrine.  Dr.  Quimby 
was  in  possession  of  the  facts  we  now  call  "subconscious," 
but  could  not  readily  name  them.  Consequently  he  often 
uses  figurative  language,  as  in  his  comparison  of  thought 
to   the   blossom   of   a   rose.     Again,   he   speaks  of  himself 


70  INTERMEDIATE  PERIOD 

impersonally  as  "Dr.  Q,"  trying  in  this  way  to  suggest 
the  impartial  observer,  puzzled  at  first  to  understand  the 
new  mode  of  treatment. 

Dr.  Quimby  did  not  keep  a  record  of  his  patients  from  the 
point  of  view  of  medical  diagnosis  or  opinion,  and  we  do 
not  know  just  how  soon  after  1847  he  began  to  give  all  his 
time  to  silent  spiritual  healing.  But  in  1861  he  writes  that 
he  has  sat  with  "more  than  three  hundred  individuals  every 
year  for  ten  years,  and  during  the  last  five  with  five  hundred 
yearly."  By  1851,  then,  he  was  treating  as  many  as  three 
hundred  patients  a  year,  and  by  1856  the  number  had  increased 
to  five  hundred.  The  greater  years  of  his  work  in  Portland, 
therefore,  beginning  in  1859,  came  after  he  had  had  abun- 
dant opportunity  to  test  his  method  to  the  full. 

What  this  method  was  we  are  now  prepared  to  understand  in 
a  measure  when  we  note  that  his  early  experiments  had  taught 
him  how  to  converse  with  Lucius  mentally,  and  had  also 
shown  him  that  there  is  a  still  higher  way  of  communication. 
When  he  talked  with  Lucius  it  was  by  way  of  expressing  a 
merely  personal  thought  or  wish,  that  is,  telepathically,  as 
we  now  say.  Such  thought-transference  included  also  the 
transmission  of  suggestions  involving  imagery  and  emotion, 
such  as  the  mental  picture  of  a  bear  and  the  fear  of  a  bear's 
presence  would  arouse.  Quimby  made  this  transfer  effective 
by  vividly  creating  the  mental  object  in  his  own  mind.  Had 
he  stopped  there  he  would  have  rivalled  some  of  the  "applied 
psychologists"  of  our  day  who  scorn  the  idea  of  anything 
spiritual. 

But  by  discovering  that  there  is  an  inner  or  higher  mind, 
Quimby  learned  that  spirit  could  talk  with  spirit.  Such 
conversation  did  not  involve  the  transfer  of  personal  thought 
or  emotion,  but  what  we  who  believe  in  spiritual  healing 
now  call  "realization,"  that  is,  the  vivid  picturing  of  the 
Divine  ideal  of  man  in  perfect  health  and  freedom.  This 
spiritual  process  tended  to  arouse  the  same  activity  or  spirit 
within  the  patient.  It  was  not  the  influence  of  mind  on 
mind,  but  the  operation  of  spiritual  power  or  Wisdom;  for 
Dr.  Quimby  objected  to  the  word  "poWer"  and  always 
insisted  that  the  real  eflBciency  was  Wisdom.  That  Wisdom 
is  in  all  men,  as  Quimby  says  in  his  later  writings  on  the 
subject  of  "God."  It  can  be  appealed  to  in  all.  It  is  the 
creative  Mind  within  all.    Man's  part  as  healer  is  to  establish 


INTERMEDIATE  PERIOD  71 

the  truth  of  this  Mind.  Hence  Quimby  dedicated  his  great 
powers  of  concentration  to  this  vivid  realization. 

The  apparent  receptivity  of  the  patient  when  sitting  si- 
lently by  Quimby,  or  waiting  at  a  distance  to  feel  an  effect, 
was  dependent  of  course  on  the  patient's  belief,  which 
might  mean  that  Quimby  was  regarded  as  a  kind  of  wonder- 
worker, or  that  he  was  not  supposed  to  know  how  he  healed. 
But  Quimby  was  not  dependent  on  the  patient's  conscious 
attitude  or  faith.^  He  discerned  the  inner  condition,  and 
conversed  with  ''the  scientific  man,"  looking  for  subconscious 
after-effects.  What  he  then  wrote  or  said  to  the  patients 
depended  on  what  he  saw  that  they  as  conscious  beings, 
with  little  understanding,  were  prepared  to  see.  Hence  he 
had  often  to  content  himself  with  brief  statements  concerning 
the  bodily  condition  and  the  physical  changes  to  be  expected. 
But  we  learn  from  his  more  enlightened  patients  that  the 
silent  healing  was  a  religious  experience  or  spiritual  quicken- 
ing, and  that  to  them  the  great  healer  began  forthwith  to 
talk  about  the  things  of  the  Spirit. 

It  is  this  varied  series  of  impressions  produced  by  patients 
which  account  for  the  varied  character  of  his  writings,  and 
on  this  point  it  would  be  well  to  hear  from  Quimby  in  his 
own  words : 

"The  reader  will  find  my  ideas  strewn  all  through  my 
writings,  and  sometimes  it  will  seem  that  what  I  said  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  subject  upon  which  I  was  writing. 
This  defect  is  caused  by  the  great  variety  'of  subjects 
that  called  the  pieces  out;  for  they  were  all  written  after 
sitting  with  patients  who  had  been  studying  upon  some 
subject,  or  who  had  been  under  some  religious  excitement, 
suffering  from  disappointment  or  worldly  reverses,  or  had 
given  much  time  to  health  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
medical  faculty  and  had  reasoned  themselves  into  a  belief, 
so  that  their  diseases  were  the  effects  of  their  reasoning.  I 
have  all  classes  of  minds,  with  all  types  of  disease.  No  two 
are  alike.  The  articles  are  often  written  from  the  impressions 
made  on  me  at  the  time  I  wrote. 

"For  instance,  one  person  had  a  strong  desire  for  this 
world's  goods,  and  at  the  same  time  had  been  made  to  believe 

1  One  of  his  patients  assures  as  that  when  she  visited  Dr.  Quimby, 
in  1862,  she  deemed  him  "an  old  humbug,"  and  that  she  received  his 
treatment  at  first  merely  because  her  mother  insisted. 


72  INTERMEDIATE  PERIOD 

his  salvation  depended  upon  his  being  honest  and  steady. 
Hence  his  religion  acted  as  a  kind  of  hindrance  to  his  worldly 
prosperity.  This  kept  him  all  the  time  nervous,  and  he  put 
all  his  troubles  into  the  idea  Tieart  disease.'  Another  was 
a  man  who  had  a  great  deal  of  acquisitiveness  and  self- 
esteem,  while  all  his  acts  were  governed  by  public  opinion. 
He  wanted  to  be  a  great  man  by  making  himself  wise  at 
others'  expense,  or  gaining  every  idea  of  value  without  pay- 
ing for  it.  Hence  he  would  often  force  himself  into  society 
where  he  was  not  wanted.  His  religion  was  always  the  last 
thing  to  think  of.  To  him  heaven  and  hell  had  no  claims 
till  he  had  gone  through  hell  to  make  up  his  mind  which 
place  was  the  better  for  his  practice.  To  cure  these  two  was  to 
show  them  the  hypocrisy  of  their  belief,  and  show  that  all 
men  are  to  themselves  just  what  they  make  themselves  .  .  . 
So  my  arguments  are  always  aimed  at  some  particular  belief, 
sometimes  words,  sometimes  one  thing,  again  another.  .  .  . 
Hence  what  I  write  is  like  a  court-record  or  a  book  on  law 
with  the  arguments  of  each  case.  I  take  up  a  little  of 
everything." 


VII 

EARLY   "WRITINGS 

[These  articles  and  letters  are  taken  from  a  manuscript 
book  containing  copies  of  "pieces,"  as  they  are  called,  written 
previous  to  the  first  volume  of  articles,  which  was  begun  in 
October,  1859.  Most  of  the  pieces  were  written  before  1856. 
They  were  copied  by  Miss  Emma  Ware  from  the  originals, 
and  are  here  printed  without  any  changes  whatever.] 

Thought,  like  the  blossom  of  the  rose,  or  tree,  contains 
all  the  elements  of  the  tree  or  rose.  Now  as  the  law  of  vege- 
tation governs  the  tree  or  rose,  so  the  law  of  mind  acts 
upon  the  idea  or  spiritual  tree,  known  by  the  name  of  good 
or  evil.  Now  although  this  tree  differs  from  all  other  trees 
in  the  garden  of  man,  it  cannot  be  detected  except  by  its 
fruits,  and  as  the  fruits  appear  pleasant  to  the  eye  of  the 
mind,  and  are  supposed  to  make  men  happy,  it  is  cultivated 
without  knowing  the  peculiar  properties  it  contains. 

Now  as  this  tree  grows  it  sends  forth  its  thought  like 
blossoms,  and  as  it  is  looked  upon  as  a  fruit  much  desired  to 
make  one  well  it  is  received  with  Joy  and  cultivated  in  the 
garden  of  our  minds.  Now  in  the  beginning  of  the  creation 
of  man  this  tree  was  a  tree  that  differed  from  all  others  in 
man  and  was  very  like  the  tree  of  life.  The  fruits  of  this  tree 
have  been  the  foundation  of  all  the  philosophy  of  man  ever 
since  man  was  created. 

Now  as  man's  natural  body  contains  the  soil  for  this  tree  to 
grow,  as  the  earth  is  the  soil  for  the  rest  of  the  trees  and  herbs 
and  creeping  things  that  have  life,  it  is  the  duty  of  man  to  in- 
vestigate this  tree  and  see  what  its  fruits  contain.  The  tree 
18  to  be  known  by  its  fruits.  This  tree  is  an  idea  like 
all  other  ideas  in  man,  but  differing  in  one  peculiarity,  happi- 
ness and  misery.  All  the  rest  of  the  trees  of  knowledge  con- 
tain right  and  wrong  without  any  regard  to  happiness  or 
misery.     This  is  the  difference  between  the  trees. 


74  EARLY  WRITINGS 

Now  as  this  tree  can  bear  the  fruits  of  other  trees,  it  is 
another  reason  for  its  being  cultivated,  but  to  understand 
the  tree  or  idea  is  to  understand  its  fruits  or  thoughts. 

I  shall  now  call  this  tree  an  idea  which  contains  happiness  or 
misery  and  also  truth  and  error.  Now  as  error,  like  the 
serpent,  is  more  subtle  than  any  other  idea  in  man,  it  acts 
upon  the  weaker  portion  of  our  thoughts  and  ideas,  and 
engrafts  them  into  the  idea  of  happiness  and  misery.  Now 
as  this  idea  grows  and  sends  forth  its  fruit,  it  is  conveyed 
by  error  to  other  trees  or  ideas  in  others,  and  thus  spring 
up  false  theories,  false  doctrines,  etc.  Now  as  this  tree 
or  idea  sends  forth  such  a  variety  of  thoughts  or  fruit,  it 
is  like  Joseph's  coat  of  many  colors,  hard  to  tell  what  was 
the  original  color  or  idea.  This  throws  man  into  darkness  and 
doubt,  and  he  wanders  about,  like  a  sheep  without  a  shepherd, 
running  after  false  ideas.  Being  blind  he  is  not  capable  of 
judging  for  himself,  and  suffers  himself  to  be  led  by  the 
blind. 

Now  as  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  was  an 
idea  of  happiness  and  misery,  it  is  easy  to  detect  its  fruits. 
All  other  ideas  are  spiritual  and  the  fruits  or  thoughts  are 
spiritual,  and  are  not  perceived  till  they  come  within  our 
senses.  We  are  very  apt  to  get  deceived  by  them,  for  they 
come  like  a  thief  in  the  night,  when  man  is  off  his  guard. 
Now  as  health  and  happiness  is  the  greatest  blessing  that 
can  be  bestowed  on  man,  and  this  was  the  original  fruit 
of  the  tree,  it  can  be  very  easily  detected  from  the  grafted 
fruit  or  ideas.  The  original  fruit  is  spiritual  and  cannot 
be  detected  by  the  eye,  for  it^does  not  contain  even  spiritual 
matter.  Its  qualities  are  sympathy,  harmony  and  peace — 
the  fruit  of  the  evil  contains  matter,  and  has  form  and  can 
be  seen  and  felt. 

TO   THE   SICK  IN  BODY   AND  MIND 

Dr.  Q,  has  been  induced  by  the  great  number  of  cases 
which  have  come  under  his  care  within  the  last  twelve  years,  to 
devote  his  time  to  the  cure  of  diseases.  His  success  in  the 
art  of  healing  without  the  aid  of  medicine  has  encouraged 
many  persons  who  have  been  suffering  from  sickness  of  long 
standing  to  call  and  see  him  for  themselves.  This  has  given 
him  a  very  great  advantage  over  the  old  mode  of  practice, 
and  has  given  him  a  good  chance  to  see  how  the  mind 


EARLY  WRITINGS  W 

affects  the  body.  He  makes  no  pretension  to  any  superior 
power  over  ordinary  men,  nor  claims  to  be  a  seventh  son, 
nor  a  son  of  the  seventh  son,  but  a  common  every-day 
man. 

He  contends  there  is  a  principle  or  inward  man  that  governs 
the  outward  man  or  body,  and  when  these  are  at  variance 
or  out  of  tune,  disease  is  the  effect,  while  by  harmonizing 
them  health  of  the  body  is  the  result.  He  believes  this  can 
be  brought  about  by  sympathy,  and  all  persons  who  are 
sick  are  in  need  of  this  sympathy. 

To  the  well  these  remarks  will  not  apply,  for  the  well  need 
no  physician.^  By  these  remarks  I  mean  a  well  person  does 
not  know  the  feelings  of  the  sick,  but  the  sick  alone  are 
their  own  judges,  and  to  every  feeling  is  attached  a  peculiar 
state  of  mind  which  is  peculiar  to  it.  These  states  of  mind 
are  the  person's  spiritual  identity,  and  this  I  claim  to  see 
and  feel  myself. 

When  there  is  discord  in  these  two  principles,  or  inward 
and  outward  man,  it  seems  to  me  that  the  outward  man  or 
body  conveys  to  me  the  trouble,  the  same  as  one  man  com- 
municates to  his  friend  any  trouble  that  is  weighing  him 
down.  Now  all  I  claim  is  this,  to  put  myself  into  communica- 
tion with  these  principles  of  inward  and  outward  man,  and 
act  as  a  mediator  between  these  two  principles  of  soul  and 
body;  and  when  I  am  in  communication  with  the  patient,  I 
feel  all  his  pains  and  his  state  of  mind,  and  I  find  that  by 
bringing  his  spirit  back  to  harmonize  with  the  body  he  feels 
better. 

The  great  trouble  with  mankind  is  this,  they  are  spiritually 
sick,  and  the  remedies  they  apply  only  serve  to  make  them 
worse.  The  invention  of  disease,  like  the  invention  of 
fashion,  has  almost  upset  the  whole  community.  If  phy- 
sicians would  investigate  mind  a  little  more  and  medicine 
a  little  less,  they  would  be  of  some  service ;  but  this  inventing 
disease  is  like  inventing  laws:  instead  of  helping  man,  they 
make  him  worse.  Diseases  are  like  fashions,  and  people 
are  as  apt  to  take  a  new  disease  as  they  are  to  fall  in  with 
any  new  fashion.  Now  if  there  was  a  law  made  to  punish  any 
person  who  should  through  any  medical  journal  communicate 
to  the  people  any  new  disease  and  its  symptoms,  it  would  put 
a  stop  to  a  great  deal  of  sickness.  Seven  cases  out  oi 
ten  throughout  the  whole  community  of  old  chronic  cases 

1  Dr.  Quimby  here  changes  from  the  third  to  the  first  person. 


re  EARLY  WRITINGS 

are  the  effects  of  false  impressions  produced  by  medical  men, 
giving  to  the  people  the  idea  they  have  spinal  disease,  or 
heart  or  kidney  or  liver  disease,  or  forty  others  that  I  could 
name,  to  say  nothing  of  the  number  of  nervous  diseases. 

Now  all  of  these  ideas  thrown  into  the  community  are  like  so 
many  foolish  fashions  which  the  people  are  humbugged  by.  I 
do  not  dispute  but  that  any  of  these  diseases  may  be  brought 
about  through  the  operation  of  the  mind,  but  I  do  say  if 
there  was  no  name  given  to  disease,  nor  its  symptoms,  there 
would  not  be  one-tenth  of  the  sickness  there  is  at  this  day. 
I  have  taken  people  who  have  been  sick  with  all  of  the  above 
diseases,  as  they  thought,  and  by  describing  their  symptoms 
and  state  of  mind  without  their  telling  me  what  the  trouble 
was,  and  they  have  recovered  immediately.  A  person  sick 
is  like  a  person  in  a  strange  land,  without  money  or  friends. 
Now  there  may  be  some  one  near  by  who  would  be  glad  to 
receive  such  persons,  but  they  are  ignorant  of  them.  The 
sick  are  not  in  communication  with  themselves,  nor  any 
one  else — they  feel  as  though  no  person  could  tell  them  how 
they  feel.^ 

SPIRITUALISM   AND   MESMERISM 

How  does  spiritualism  differ  from  mesmerism?  The  word 
mesmerism  embraces  all  the  phenomena  that  ever  were  claimed 
by  any  intelligent  spiritualists.  The  spiritualists  claim  that 
they  get  knowledge  from  the  dead  through  living  mediums. 

Do  not  mesmerisers  do  this?  Surely.  Then  what  is  the 
difference?  In  the  ignorance  of  the  people. 

I  will  give  some  facts  which  have  come  under  my  own 
observation.  When  I  first  commenced  mesmerising  about 
sixteen  years  ago,  the  most  of  my  experiments  were  of  the 
following  kind:  after  getting  my  subject  in  a  mesmerised 
state  I  would  try  some  simple  experiment,  for  instance, 
imagine  some  person  or  animal  which  he  would  describe.  I 
would  then  put  him  in  communication  with  some  person  of 
the  company,  and  let  that  person  carry  him  to  some  place 
which  he  would  describe.  In  these  experiments  it  would 
often  happen  that  he  would  get  intelligence  from  some  person 
of  whom  the  company  knew  nothing.     At  other  times  the 

1  Dr.  Quimby's  reference  to  "the  last  twelve  years,"  would  indicate 
that  this  "piece"  was  written  between  1852  and  1855.  It  is  his  first 
statement  concerning  his  spiritual  method. 


EARLY  WRITINGS  77 

audience  would  like  to  have  me  send  hira  after  some  one's  lost 
friend.  This  I  used  to  do  but  tried  to  make  them  understand 
that  it  was  the  reflection  of  their  own  thoughts. 

In  these  experiments  I  had  an  opportunity  to  see  and 
hear  the  different  opinions  and  beliefs  of  mankind  in  regard 
to  whether  he  really  saw  the  person  that  he  would  describe 
or  not.  I  found  that  my  own  opinion  could  have  but  little 
effect  upon  the  mind  of  the  audience.  Their  religious  opinions 
would  govern  in  most  all  cases.  Sometimes  when  the  experi- 
ments would  embrace  the  friend  of  an  infidel  I  would  confuse 
him  some;  but  I  found  that  all  persons  were  inclined  to 
believe  just  about  as  their  religious  opinions  were.  I  also 
found  that  my  subject's  religious  opinions  were  just  about  like 
the  person's  opinions  that  he  was  in  communication  with. 

If  they  professed  religion  to  the  world  and  were  a  hypocrite 
at  heart,  the  subject  would  find  it  out,  and  the  same  was  true 
of  the  subject.  I  had  one  subject  who  was  very  religious 
when  awake,  but  when  asleep  was  just  the  opposite. 

I  will  here  relate  an  experiment  when  on  the  Kennebec  I 
had  my  subject  in  the  sleep.  I  then  requested  any  of  the 
company  to  bring  me  the  name  of  any  individual  dead  or 
alive,  and  the  subject  would  find  him.  A  name  was  accord- 
ingly handed  me.  I  passed  it  to  the  subject.  He  took  the 
paper  on  which  the  name  was  written  and  read  the  name 
aloud.  At  this  time  the  subject  was  blindfolded  so  that  it 
was  impossible  for  him  to  see  with  his  natural  eyes.  I  then 
told  him  to  find  the  person.     I  will  relate  his  own  story. 

He  said, /'This  is  a  man.''  ''Well,"  said  I,  "find  him  and 
talk  with  him."  In  a  short  time  he  said,  "I  have  found  him." 
I  asked,  "What  does  he  say?"  He  answered,  "He  was  a 
married  man,  had  a  wife  and  three  children,  was  a  joiner 
by  trade;  left  his  tool  chest  in  a  bam,  and  left  between  two 
days,  went  to  Boston,  stopped  a  time,  left  for  the  state  of  New 
York,  worked  there  for  three  years,  and  then  died;  has  been 
dead  three  years." 

I  told  him  to  bring  him  here  and  describe  hira.  He  went 
on  to  give  a  general  description  of  a  man,  and  I  told  him  that 
if  there  was  anything  peculiar  in  his  appearance  that  differed 
from  all  others  to  describe  it.  "Well,"  said  he,  "there  is  one 
thing  in  which  he  differs  from  any  one  else  in  the  room.  He 
has  a  hair  lip."     This  was  the  fact. 

Now  as  there  was  no  knowledge  among  the  people  of  the 


78  EARLY  WRITINGS 

principle  by  which  this  was  done,  the  people  were  left  to  their 
own  judgment.  So  I  left  them  arguing,  some  trying  to  prove 
it  was  the  man's  spirit,  some  calling  it  humbug  and  collusion. 
Others  went  away  and  told  what  they  saw  and  heard. 

This  kind  of  experiment  I  was  trying  almost  every  day  for 
over  four  years. 

I  then  became  a  medium  myself,  but  not  like  my  subject. 
I  retained  my  own  consciousness  and  at  the  same  time  took 
the  feelings  of  my  patient.  Thus  I  was  able  to  unlock  the 
secret  which  has  been  a  mystery  for  ages  to  mankind.  I 
found  that  I  had  the  power  of  not  only  feeling  their  aches 
and  pains,  but  the  state  of  their  mind.  I  discovered  that 
ideas  took  form  and  the  patient  was  affected  just  according  to 
the  impression  contained  in  the  idea.  For  example,  if  a 
person  lost  a  friend  at  sea  the  shock  upon  their  nervous  sys- 
tem would  disturb  the  fluids  of  their  body  and  create  around 
them  a  vapor,  and  in  that  are  all  their  ideas,  right  or  wrong. 
This  vapor  or  fluid  contains  the  identity  of  the  person. 

Now  when  I  sit  down  by  a  diseased  person  I  see  the  spirit- 
ual form,  in  this  cloud,  like  a  person  driven  out  of  his  house. 
They  sometimes  appear  very  much  frightened,  which  is  al- 
most always  the  case  with  insane  persons.  I  show  no  dispo- 
sition to  disturb  them,  and  at  the  last  they  approach  me 
cautiously,  and  if  I  can  govern  my  own  spirit  or  mind,  I  can 
govern  theirs.  At  last  I  commence  a  conversation  with  them. 
They  tell  me  their  trouble  and  offer  to  carry  me  spiritually  to 
the  place  where  their  trouble  commenced. 

I  was  sitting  by  a  lady  whom  I  had  never  seen  until  she 
called  upon  me  with  her  father  to  see  if  I  could  help  her. 
The  lady  had  all  the  appearance  of  dropsy.  I  took  her  by  the 
hand.  In  a  short  time  it  seemed  as  though  we  were  going  off 
some  distance.  At  last  I  saw  water.  It  seemed  as  though  we 
were  on  the  ocean.  At  length  I  saw  a  brig  in  a  gale.  I  also 
saw  a  man  on  the  bowsprit,  dressed  in  an  oil-cloth  suit.  At 
last  he  fell  overboard.  The  vessel  hove  to  and  in  a  short  time 
the  man  sank.  This  was  a  reality,  but  it  happened  five  years 
before.  Now  to  cure  the  lady  was  to  bring  her  from  the  scene 
of  her  troubles.     This  I  did  and  the  lady  recovered. 

I  often  find  patients  whose  disease  or  trouble  was  brought  on 
by  religious  excitement.  I  went  to  see  a  young  lady  during 
the  Miller  excitement.  She  was  confined  to  her  bed,  would 
not  converse  with  any  person,  lay  in  a  sort  of  trance  with  her 


EARLY  WRITINGS  79 

eyes  rolled  up  in  her  head,  took  no  notice  of  any  person ;  the 
only  thing  she  would  say  was  that  she  was  confined  in  a  pit, 
held  there  by  a  large  man  whose  duty  it  was  to  hold  her  there, 
and  she  said  to  me,  "I  shall  never  die,  nor  never  get  well." 
She  had  been  in  this  condition  for  one  year,  refused  all 
nourishment,  and  was  a  mere  skeleton  at  the  time  I  went  to 
see  her.  This  was  her  story  when  I  got  her  so  as  to  converse. 
I  sat  down  by  the  lady,  and  in  about  an  hour  I  saw  the  man 
she  had  created,  and  described  him  to  her,  and  told  her  that 
I  should  drive  him  away.  This  seemed  to  frighten  her,  for 
she  was  afraid  for  my  safety.  But  when  I  assured  her  that 
I  could  drive  the  man  away  she  kept  quiet.  In  three  hours 
she  walked  to  the  door,  and  she  recovered  her  health. 

I  could  name  hundreds  of  cases  showing  the  effect  of  mind 
upon  the  body.  Some  will  say  it  is  spiritualism.  Others 
will  say  it  is  not.  When  asked  to  explain  where  the  differ- 
ence lies,  the  only  answer  is,  that  the  mesmeric  state  is  pro- 
duced by  some  other  person  than  the  subject,  while  the 
spiritualist  is  thrown  into  this  state  or  trance  by  spirits. 
Now  the  fact  is  known  by  thousands  of  persons  that  this  mes- 
merising oneself  has  been  common  ever  since  mesmerism  has 
been  known,  therefore  there  is  nothing  new  in  that.  So  it  is 
with  questions  put  to  any  spiritualist. 

Let  us  now  examine  the  proof  of  its  being  from  the  dead. 
A  person  is  throwTi  into  an  unconscious  state:  while  in  this 
state  the  spirit  of  some  person  purporting  to  come  from  the 
dead  enters  the  body  and  addresses  itself  to  the  company, 
telling  some  story  which  the  company  knows  nothing  of. 

When  roused  from  the  trance  he  is  asked  if  he  was  con- 
scious of  what  he  had  been  saying  or  doing.  To  this  question 
they  nearly  all  say,  "No."  The  company  is  left  in  the  same 
condition  as  in  the  mesmeric  experiments.  Some  call  it  mes- 
merism, some  spiritualism.^ 

LETTER  TO   A   PATIENT 

BELFAST,  Nov.  4th,  1856. 

Madam:    Yours  of  the  2nd.  inst.  was  received,  and  now  I 

sit  down  to  answer  your  inquiry  in  regard  to  your  lameness. 

1  Quimby  gives  evidence  of  his  increasing  clairvoyant  and  psycho- 
metric power  in  the  above.  This  power  made  him  more  interiorly 
receptive  than  either  a  "medium"  or  a  "subject,"  hence  he  had  the 
clue  to  both.     Moreover,  he  could  cast  out  an  obsessing  idea. 


80  EARLY  WRITINGS 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  skin  on  the  knee  is  thinner  and  has  a 
more  healthy  appearance.  But  you  cannot  be  made  to  be- 
lieve anything  that  is  in  plain  contradiction  to  your  own 
senses,  and  as  your  opinions  have  been  formed  from  the  evi- 
dence of  persons  in  whom  you  have  placed  confidence,  and 
facts  have  gone  to  prove  these  opinions  correct,  it  is  not 
strange  that  you  should  hold  on  to  your  belief  till  some  kind 
friend  should  come  to  your  aid  and  lead  your  mind  in  a 
different  direction. 

Now  to  remind  you  of  what  I  tried  to  make  you  understand 
is  a  very  hard  task  on  my  part;  for  as  I  said  to  you,  some  of 
my  ideas  fall  on  stony  ground,  and  some  on  dry  ground,  and 
some  on  good  ground.  These  ideas  are  in  your  mind  like 
the  little  leaven,  and  they  will  work  till  the  whole  mind  or 
lump  is  changed. 

You  have  asked  me  many  questions  which  time  and  space 
will  not  permit  me  to  answer,  but  I  shall  write  that  which 
seems  to  be  of  the  most  benefit  to  you.  In  regard  to  your 
coming  to  Belfast,  use  your  own  judgment.  The  cure  of  your 
limb  depends  on  your  faith.  Your  faith  is  what  you  receive 
from  me,  and  what  you  receive  is  what  you  understand.  Now 
if  you  understand  that  the  mind  is  the  name  of  the  fluids  of 
which  your  body  is  composed,  and  your  thoughts  represent 
the  change  of  the  fluids  or  mind,  you  will  then  be  in  a  state 
to  act  understandingly. 

I  will  try  to  illustrate  it  to  you  so  you  can  apply  your 
thoughts  to  your  body  so  as  to  receive  the  reward  of  your 
labor.  As  I  told  you,  every  thought  contains  a  substance 
either  good  or  bad,  and  it  comes  in  and  makes  up  a  part  of 
your  body  or  mind,  and  as  the  thoughts  which  are  in  3'our  sys- 
tem are  poisoned,  and  the  poison  has  come  from  without,  it  is 
necessary  to  know  how  to  keep  them  [the  thoughts]  out  of 
your  system  so  as  not  to  be  injured  by  them. 

Now  suppose  you  have  around  you  a  sort  of  heat  like  the 
light  of  a  candle,  which  embraces  all  your  knowledge,  your 
body  being  the  centre  and  you  having  the  power  to  govern 
and  control  this  heat :  you  then  have  a  world  of  your  own. 
Now  in  health  this  globe  of  which  your  body  is  the  centre  is 
in  harmony.  The  heat  of  this  globe  is  a  protection  to  itself, 
like  a  walled  city,  to  admit  none  but  supposed  friends.  Now 
as  every  person  has  the  same  globe  or  heat,  each  person  is 
a  world  or  nation  of  itself.  This  is  the  state  of  a  person  in 
health. 


EARLY  WRITINGS  81 

Now  as  we  wish  to  change  and  interchange  with  other 
nations,  so  does  our  house  like  to  enjoy  the  society  of  other 
persons,  and  as  we  are  liberal  we  admit  strangers  to  our  city 
or  world  as  friends.  When  this  proclamation  goes  out  our 
globe  is  filled  with  all  sorts  of  people  from  all  nations,  bring- 
ing with  them  goods,  setting  up  false  doctrines,  stirring  up 
strife  till  the  whole  population  or  thoughts  are  changed,  and 
man  becomes  a  stranger  in  his  own  land  and  his  own  house- 
hold becomes  his  enemies.  This  is  the  state  of  a  person  in 
disease.  Now  as  there  is  nothing  in  your  own  system  of 
itself  to  disturb  you,  you  must  look  for  your  enemies  from  the 
strangers  whom  you  have  permitted  to  come  into  your  land. 

TO   A   PATIENT 

Mrs.  Norcross. 

aiADAM:  Yours  of  the  .  .  .  is  at  hand.  But  a  lack  of 
faith  on  my  part  to  describe  your  case  and  explain  my  ideas 
to  you  so  you  could  rightly  comprehended  my  meaning  is  my 
only  excuse  for  not  writing  before.  But  thinking  you  would 
expect  an  answer,  I  now  sit  down  to  talk  with  you  a  short 
time. 

After  reading  your  letter  I  tried  to  exercise  all  the  power  I 
was  master  of  to  quiet  and  restore  your  limb  to  health.  But 
to  give  a  satisfactory  answer  to  you  or  myself  was  more  than 
I  was  capable  of.  I  therefore  will  disturb  your  mind  or 
fluids  once  more,  and  try  to  direct  them  in  a  more  healthy 
state  by  repeating  some  of  my  ideas  which  I  repeated  to  you 
when  here. 

You  know  I  told  you  that  mind  was  the  name  of  something, 
and  this  something  is  the  fluids  of  the  body.  Disease  is  the 
name  of  the  disturbance  of  these  fluids  or  mind.  Now  as  the 
fluids  are  in  a  scalding  state,  they  are  ready  to  be  directed  to 
any  portion  of  the  body.  You  remember  I  told  you  that 
every  idea  contained  this  fluid,  and  the  combination  varied 
just  according  to  the  knowledge  or  idea  of  disease. 

I  will  explain.  Two  persons  are  told  they  are  troubled 
with  scrofula.  One  does  not  know  anything  about  it,  and  has 
never  heard  of  the  disease,  is  as  ignorant  as  a  child.  No  ex- 
planation is  given  to  either.  The  other  is  well  posted  up  in 
regard  to  all  the  bad  effects  of  this  disease.  Now  you  can 
readily  see  the  effect  on  the  minds  of  these  two  persons.  One 
is  not  affected  at  all  till  he  is  made  acquainted  with  the  case. 


82  EARLY  WRITINGS 

while  the  other  one's  mind  or  fluids  are  completely  changed 
and  combined,  so  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  give  direction  and 
locate  the  disease  in  any  part  of  the  body. 

I  think  I  hear  you  say  that  a  child  can  be  troubled  with 
scrofula,  and  tbey  have  no  mind;  then  they  have  no  body  or 
fluids;  for  the  fluids  are  the  mind,  as  I  said  before.  Your 
mother  probably  changed  the  fluids  of  your  body,  when  an 
infant  or  at  any  early  age,  and  some  circumstance  located  it 
in  your  leg.  Now  as  it  is  there  you  want  to  know  how  to  get 
rid  of  it,  and  as  it  was  directed  there  through  ignorance  you 
can't  get  rid  of  it  without  some  knowledge. 

Now  as  this  disturbance  comes  like  a  fright  or  sensation, 
it  is  to  be  understood  as  a  fright.  Now  as  disease  is  looked 
upon  as  a  thing  independent  of  the  mind,  the  mind  is  dis- 
turbed by  every  sensation  produced  upon  the  senses,  and  the 
soul  stands  apart  from  the  disturbed  part  and  grieves  over  it, 
as  a  person  grieves  over  any  trouble  independent  of  the  body. 
Now  to  cure  you,  you  must  come  with  me  to  where  the  trouble 
is,  and  you  will  find  it  to  be  nothing  but  a  little  heated  fluid 
just  under  the  skin,  and  it  is  kept  hot  and  disturbed  by  your 
mind  being  misrepresented.^ 

Now  I  believe  that  I  can  impart  something  from  my  mind 
that  can  enter  into  that  distressed  state  of  the  fluids  and 
change  the  heat  and  bring  about  a  healthy  state.  I  shall 
often  try  to  produce  a  cooling  sensation  on  your  limb,  at  other 
times  a  perspiration  so  as  to  throw  off  the  surplus  heat.  If 
I  succeed  in  helping  or  relieving  you,  please  let  me  know. 
But  do  not  expect  another  explanation.  ...  If  you  think 
you  would  improve  faster  by  coming  to  Belfast,  please  let  me 
know,  and  I  will  get  you  a  private  boarding  house,  if  desired. 
I  think  I  can  hear  you  say  by  this  time  that  your  limb  feels 
better,  if  so  I  shall  be  satisfied. 

MR.    QUIMBY'S    method 

It  may  be  somewhat  strange  to  you  to  hear  something  of 
the  mode  of  curing  disease  by  a  person  who  does  not  believe  in 
any  disease  independent  of  the  mind.^  I  am  acquainted  with 
a  person  who  does  not  give  any  medicine  at  all,  and  yet  he  is 
in  the  constant  practice  of  curing  persons  afflicted  with  all 

1  That  is,  in  bondage  to  error.  The  sensation  of  heat  under  the 
skin  has  been  misinterpreted. 

2  Dr.  Quimby  here  speaks  of  himself  in  the  third  person. 


EARLY  WRITINGS  83 

diseases  flesh  is  heir  to.  He  not  only  discards  medicine  but 
disease  also,  contends  that  all  disease  is  in  the  mind,  and  that 
the  cure  of  disease  is  governed  by  a  principle  as  much  as 
mathematics,  and  can  be  learned  and  tauglit.  His  ideas  are 
new,  not  like  any  person's  I  ever  heard  or  read  of,  and  yet 
when  understood  by  the  sick  they  are  as  plain  and  evident  as 
any  truth  that  can  come  within  a  person's  senses.  His  ideas 
are  compared  to  that  which  troubles  the  sick,  not  to  persons 
well;  for  those  who  are  well  need  no  physicians.  He  is  not 
a  spiritualist  as  is  commonly  understood,  believing  that  he 
receives  his  power  from  departed  spirits.  But  he  believes 
the  power  is  general  and  can  be  learned  if  persons  would  only 
consent  to  be  taught.^  He  has  no  mystery  more  than  in 
learning  music  or  any  science  which  requires  study  and  prac- 
tice. It  cannot  be  learned  in  a  day  nor  in  a  month,  yet 
nevertheless  it  can  be  learned.  He  has  spent  sixteen  years 
[1840-1856]  learning  and  yet  he  has  just  begun. 

I  will  here  state  what  has  come  within  my  observation.  A 
friend  of  mine  by  the  name  of  Eobinsom,  of  N.  Vassalboro, 
had  been  sick  and  confined  to  his  house  for  four  years,  and 
nearly  the  whole  time  confined  to  his  bed,  not  being  able  to 
sit  up  more  than  fifteen  minutes  during  the  day.  Hearing  of 
Mr.  Quimby,  for  this  is  his  name,  he  sent  for  him  to  visit  him. 
He  arrived  at  Mr.  R's  in  the  evening  and  sat  down,  and 
commenced  explaining  to  Mr.  E.  his  feelings,  telling  him  his 
symptoms  nearer  than  Mx.  E.  could  tell  them  himself,  also 
telling  him  the  peculiar  state  of  his  mind  and  how  his  mind 
acted  upon  his  body.  His  explanation  was  entirely  new  to 
Mr.  E.,  and  it  required  some  argument  to  satisfy  Mr.  E.  that 
he  had  no  disease;  for  he  had  been  doctored  for  almost  all 
diseases. 

His  eyes  were  so  swollen  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to 
see.  His  head  had  been  blistered  all  over,  and  large  black 
spots  came  out  all  over  his  body.  Therefore  to  become  a 
convert  to  his  theory  was  more  than  Mr.  E.  could  do.  But 
Q.  told  him  he  stood  ready  to  explain  all  he  said,  and  not  only 
that  but  to  prove  it  to  his  satisfaction ;  for,  said  he,  the  proof 
is  the  cure,  and  E.  was  not  bound  to  believe  any  faster  than 
he  could  make  him  understand,  and  the  cure  is  in  the  under- 
standing. 

1  That  is,  it  is  from  the  infinite  Spirit  or  Wisdom,  as  Quimby 
later  called  it;  not  from  any  "spirit." 


84  EARLY  WRITINGS 

So  Mr.  Quimby  commenced  taking  up  his  feelings,  one  by 
one,  like  a  lawyer  examining  witnesses,  analyzing  them  and 
showing  him  that  he  [had]  put  false  constructions  on  all  his 
feelings,  showing  him  that  a  different  explanation  would 
have  produced  a  different  result.  In  this  way  Quimby  went 
on  explaining  and  taking  up  almost  every  idea  he  ever  had, 
and  putting  a  different  construction,  till  E,  thought  he  did 
not  know  anything. 

Mr.Q's  explanation,  said  R.  .  .  .  "was  so  plain  that  it  was 
impossible  not  to  understand  it.  Not  one  of  his  ideas  was 
like  any  that  I  ever  heard  before  from  any  physician,  yet  so 
completely  did  he  change  me  that  I  felt  like  a  man  who  had 
been  confined  in  a  prison  for  life,  and  without  the  least 
knowledge  of  what  was  going  on  out  of  the  prison  received  a 
pardon  and  was  set  at  liberty.  At  about  ten  o'clock  I  went  to 
bed,  had  a  good  night's  rest,  and  in  the  morning  was  up  be- 
fore Q.  and  felt  as  well  as  ever.  Q.  and  I  went  to  Waterville 
the  next  day.  I  had  no  desire  to  take  to  my  bed,  and  have 
felt  well  ever  since/*     This  is  E's  own  story. 

[Quimby  then  goes  on  as  if  writing  for  a  third  person.] 

I  was  well  acquainted  with  Mr.  E.  and  know  these  facts  to 
be  true.  This  is  the  case  with  a  great  many  others  where  I 
was  not  acquainted  with  the  parties,  and  I  was  induced  to  go 
to  Belfast  to  see  if  he  [Quimby]  could  talk  me  out  of  my 
senses,  for  I  thought  I  had  a  disease.  At  least  it  seemed  so  to 
me,  for  I  had  had  for  the  last  ten  years  a  disease  which  showed 
itself  in  almost  every  joint  in  my  limbs.  My  hands  were 
drawn  all  out  of  shape.  My  neck  was  almost  stiff.  My  legs 
were  drawn  up,  my  joints  swollen  and  so  painful  it  was 
impossible  to  move  them  without  almost  taking  my  life.  I 
could  not  take  one  step  nor  get  up  without  help.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  give  any  account  of  my  suffering. 

When  I  arrived  at  Belfast  I  sent  for  Mr.  Quimby.  He 
came,  and  after  telling  me  some  of  my  feelings  said,  "I 
suppose  it  would  be  pretty  hard  to  convince  you  that  you  had 
no  disease  independent  of  your  mind."  I  replied  I  had  heard 
that  he  contended  all  disease  was  in  the  mind,  and  if  he  could 
convince  me  that  the  swelling  and  contraction  of  the  limbs 
and  the  pain  I  suffered  was  in  my  mind,  I  would  be  prepared 
to  believe  anything. 

He  then  commenced  by  asking  me  to  move  my  legs.  I 
replied  that  I  could  not  move  them.     "Why  not?"  said  he. 


EARLY  WRITINGS  85 

Because  I  have  no  power  to  move  them.  He  said  it  was  not 
for  the  want  of  physical  strength,  it  was  for  the  want  of 
knowledge.  I  said  I  knew  how  to  move  them  but  I  had  not 
strength.  As  he  wished  me  to  try,  I  made  an  effort,  but  with- 
out the  slightest  effect.     He  said  I  acted  against  myself. 

He  then  went  on  to  explain  to  me  where  I  even  thought 
wrong,  and  showed  me  by  explaining  till  I  could  see  how  I 
was  acting  against  myself.  In  the  course  of  a  short  time  I 
could  move  my  legs  more  than  I  had  for  three  years.  He 
continued  to  visit  me  and  I  am  gaining  as  fast  as  a  person  can. 
I  have  been  under  his  treatment  for  two  weeks,  and  I  can  get 
up  and  sit  down  very  easily.  I  can  see  now  that  my  cure  de- 
pends on  my  knowledge.  Sometimes  he  asks  me  if  I  want 
some  linament  to  rub  on  my  cords  or  muscles.  I  can  now 
see  the  absurdity  of  using  any  application  to  relax  the 
muscles  or  to  strengthen  them.  The  strength  is  in  the 
knowledge.  This  is  something  that  he  has  the  power  to 
impart.  But  how  it  is  done  is  impossible  to  understand. 
Yet  I  know  the  knowledge  he  imparts  to  me  is  strength,  and 
just  as  I  understand  so  is  my  cure.^ 

1  Til  is  is  one  of  the  first  endeavors  on  Quimby's  part  to  take  up 
the  point  of  view  of  a  patient  consulting  him  by  showing  how  strange 
the  new  method  seemed.  It  will  be  noticed  that  in  his  letters  Quimby 
does  not  yet  clearly  distinguish  between  the  mind,  and  the  nervous 
activities  and  disturbed  circulation  of  the  blood.  He  needs  an  inter- 
mediate term  to  show  that  thought  produces  actual  changes  in  the 
substance  of  the  mind,  and  then  subconsciously  in  the  body.  Later 
he  uses  the  peculiar  term  "spiritual  matter"  to  cover  the  activities 
which  lie  between,  and  says  less  about  the  changes  in  the  "fluids." 
When  he  apparently  identifies  the  mind  with  the  fluids,  in  one  letter, 
he  is  not  then  teaching  materialism,  but  vaguely  arguing  for  mental 
causation.  The  form  "mind"  is  always  used  in  a  subordinate  sense, 
with  reference  to  that  part  of  our  life  which  is  nearest  the  body. 
Dr.  Quimby's  higher  term  is  "wisdom."  Our  wisdom  is  wholly 
distinct  from  the  nervous  "fluids"  and  troublesome  mental  states. 


VIII 

CONTEMPORARY   TESTIMONY 

[Under  date  of  July  8th,  1856,  a  former  patient  wrote  a 
brief  article  entitled  "An  Important  Discovery  in  the  Healing 
Art,"  as  if  intending  it  for  publication.  The  Ms.  has  been 
preserved,  and  from  it  we  quote  the  following:] 

This  truly  wonderful  discovery  is  now  practised  by  Dr. 
Quimby,  of  Belfast,  a  very  respectable  gentleman,  for  intel- 
ligence, agreeableness  and  integrity.  He  is  able  to  cure  with- 
out the  use  of  medicine  diseases  which  have  bafiled  the  skill 
of  most  eminent  physicians.  Of  this  we  have  evidence  in  his 
curing  those  who  have  been  afflicted  with  sickness  and  pain 
for  several  years,  without  once  knowing  the  cause  of  their 
sufferings,  and  were  given  up  by  their  physicians  as  having  a 
complication  of  diseases  that  were  incurable.  Having  there- 
fore to  abandon  all  hope  of  a  recovery  and  giving  themselves 
up  to  die,  they  heard  of  Dr.  Quimby  and  his  successful  mode 
of  curing  disease.  Feeling  no  longer  able  to  swallow  the 
poisonous  draughts  administered  for  their  relief,  they  with 
faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed  were  at  last  induced  to  put 
themselves  under  his  treatment.  By  the  blessing  of  God 
they  were  in  a  short  time  healed  of  their  infirmities.  They 
also  learned  something  of  the  nature  and  cause  of  disease,  the 
effects  of  the  mind  upon  the  bodily  functions,  and  how  the 
mind  may  become  a  physician  for  the  body,  which  is  of  more 
real  worth  than  all  the  mines  of  Golcond.  For  when  in 
possession  of  this  knowledge  we  learn  to  remedy  our  own  ills, 
and  no  longer  remain  a  prey  to  disease. 

I  now  come  to  speak  of  myself  and  will  give  a  short  sketch 
of  my  own  experience.  For  almost  four  years  previous  to 
my  consulting  Dr.  Quimby  I  had  been  an  invalid.  In 
December,  1851, 1  contracted  a  violent  cold,  which  brought  on 
influenza,  attended  with  a  severe  cough.  Every  part  of  me 
Beemed  wracked  with  pain,  and  it  was  with  much  difficulty  I 
could  move  at  all.     This  continued  for  some  six  weeks,  when 

86 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY  87 

there  was  a  change  in  my  case  which  presented  no  favorable 
aspect.  My  physician  was  a  man  of  considerable  skill  and 
experience,  as  I  had  received  medical  aid  at  his  hand  some 
two  years  previous,  which  produced  the  desired  effect.  I  felt 
the  fullest  confidence  that  he  would  be  successful  a  second 
time.  But  all  his  efforts  proved  unavailing,  as  the  medicine 
I  took  only  afforded  me  momentary  relief.  .  .  .  My  suffering 
at  times  was  such  as  I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe.  I  con- 
tinued to  take  medicine,  getting  a  little  better  and  then  worse 
until  nearly  two  years  of  my  sickness  had  elapsed  .  .  .  until 
August,  1854,  when  I  was  no  longer  able  to  walk,  and 
obliged  to  lie  down  more  than  two  thirds  of  the  time  ...  to 
the  time  of  my  consulting  Dr.  Quimby,  October,  1855. 

I  had  heard  of  his  effecting  wonderful  cures  in  hopeless 
cases  of  long  standing.  Although  I  could  not  readily  con- 
ceive the  manner  in  which  it  was  done,  I  did  not  doubt  the 
truth  of  the  assertion  or  think  it  absurd;  but  deemed  it 
impossible  for  anything  in  like  manner  to  be  wrought  in  my 
case.  I  therefore  listened  with  indifference  to  all  I  heard 
respecting  his  wonderful  skill  and  superior  knowledge  until  a 
few  weeks  previous  to  putting  myself  under  his  treatment. 
I  had  used  every  restorative  recommended  for  my  case,  and 
all  without  benefit.  I  was  at  last  compelled  to  give  up  trying, 
as  it  was  only  something  simple  I  could  take  at  all.  I  there- 
fore concluded  there  could  be  no  risk  in  applying  to  one  who 
was  represented  to  cure  without  the  use  of  medicines,  and 
hearing  his  mode  of  treatment  spoken  of  in  the  best  terms  by 
many  of  the  learned  class. 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Dr.  Quimby  at  my  own  home 
a  few  weeks  before  I  was  carried  to  Belfast.  He  gave  me 
encouragement,  said  he  could  help  me  and  soon  enable  me  to 
walk  again.  This  I  thought  was  doing  too  much.  I  dared 
not  believe.  And  yet  I  was  impotent  to  know  the  truth  .  .  . 
that  I  could  not  even  fancy  to  be  a  reality  ...  I  set  out  on 
my  journey  with  as  much  fortitude  as  could  reasonably  be 
expected  of  one  so  weak.  ...  I  felt  glad  to  lie  down  and 
rest  myself  after  so  fatiguing  a  journey.  I  was  much  dis- 
tressed, but  wished  to  make  as  little  ado  as  possible,  for  fear 
of  alarming  those  who  accompanied  me. 

Dr.  Quimby  made  me  a  visit  the  same  day,  and  expressed 
an  opinion  a  second  time  that  he  could  help  me.  In  one 
week's  time  I  was  able  by  slight  assistance  from  Dr.  Quimby 


88  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

to  walk  down  stairs.  It  was  learning  to  walk  a  second  time 
in  life.  I  began  to  think,  feel  and  act  like  a  new  being. 
Although  I  was  very  deficient  in  knowledge  of  the  truth 
which  was  to  set  me  free,  I  had  'already  learned  sufficiently  to 
enable  me  to  perform  in  one  week  what  I  had  not  done  for 
the  past  fourteen  months.  I  had  never  known  what  true 
happiness  was  before,  so  thankful  did  I  feel  for  the  pleasure 
of  walking.  Yet  so  sudden  was  the  change  and  so  speedy  the 
recovery  that  it  seemed  like  trying  to  do  something  altogether 
unnatural. 

During  my  stay  at  Belfast  Dr.  Quimby  had  more  practice 
than  he  could  well  attend  to,  and  several  whose  cases  came 
under  my  own  observation  had  long  been  considered  hopeless 
were  in  a  short  time  restored  to  their  natural  strength.  By 
the  leave  of  one  young  lady,  Miss  C,  from  Bucksport,  I 
will  narrate  her  sufferings  and  the  help  she  received.  She 
had  been  a  sufferer  for  more  than  ten  years,  and  had  had 
fifteen  medical  attendants  that  were  considered  men  of  skill 
in  their  profession,  who  were  at  last  obliged  to  admit  her 
case  as  something  which  surpassed  their  knowledge  of  dis- 
ease. She  learning  of  my  speedy  recovery,  desired  to 
learn  more  particularly  concerning  it,  and  consequently 
came  to  see  for  herself.  .  .  .  Dr.  Quimby  examined  her  case 
and  bid  her  be  of  good  cheer,  and  thought  he  could  help 
her.  .  .  .  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  in  a  little  less  than  three 
weeks  she  was  able  to  leave  for  home,  and  could  walk  two 
miles  with  much  pleasure.  She  lives  with  a  heart  full  of 
gratitude  to  God  for  the  blessed  means  by  which  she  was 
restored. 

Ever  since  my  return  home  my  health  has  been  improving, 
although  very  many  thought  my  sudden  cure  was  nothing  to 
be  relied  on,  and  if  I  still  persisted  in  taking  exercise  I  might 
ere  long  be  in  as  perilous  a  situation  as  when  I  first  applied 
to  Dr.  Quimby.  But  they  have  become  convinced  that  it 
is  reality,  and  think  me  almost  a  miracle  in  the  history  of 
disease.  I  have  been  able  to  attend  a  singing  school  during 
the  past  winter  without  experiencing  the  slightest  injury. 
Permit  me  to  say  to  those  like  myself  when  looking  for  a 
remedy  that  you  have  only  to  go  to  Dr.  Quimby  and  "apply 
thy  heart  unto  understanding,  and  thy  ears  to  the  words 
of  knowledge.  So  shall  the  knowledge  of  wisdom  be  unto 
thy  soul.  When  thou  hast  found  it,  then  there  shall  be  a 
reward,  and  thy  expectation  shall  not  be  cut  off.*' 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY  89 

I  have  deferred  publishing  this  statement  until  the  present 
time  that  all  might  know  that  I  am  now  well,  and  suffer 
from  none  of  my  former  difficulties,  that  I  have  recently 
gone  to  housekeeping  and  have  "nothing  to  molest  me,  or 
make  me  afraid"  as  regards  to  my  former  difficulties.  I 
desire  always  to  bless  the  Lord,  who  has  so  wonderfully 
dealt  with  me,  and  also  to  express  my  deepest  gratitude 
to  Dr.  Quimby,  as  the  means  employed  to  change  my 
conditions.  .  .  . 

[A  writer  in  the  Bangor  Times  tells  of  the  case  of  a  Mrs. 
Hodsdon  of  Kenduskeag,  who  had  been  sick  with  a  compli- 
cation of  diseases  for  two  years.  "Dyspepsia  in  its  worst 
form,  and  a  difficulty  about  the  head,  had  utterly  prostrated 
her,  so  that,  for  the  two  years,  she  had  been  unable  to  walk 
a  step  or  to  be  moved  in  an  upright  position  without  fainting. 
Dr.  Quimby  called  upon  the  sufferer,  and  in  two  hours  the 
patient  rose  from  her  bed  without  assistance,  seated  herself 
in  a  chair  and  sat  up  two  hours.  She  rested  well  that 
night,  she  steadily  improved  and  in  due  time  gained  twenty 
pounds  of  flesh.  All  this  came  as  the  result  of  a  single  visit. 
The  writer  states  that  he  has  heard  of  other  cases  of  remark- 
able relief,  and  he  wonders  what  power  there  is  behind  Dr. 
Quimby's  "gift."  The  testimony  of  others  is  mentioned  re- 
garding the  "marvellous  power"  following  Quimby's  efforts. 
No  theory  is  proposed,  but  the  writer  evidently  agrees  with 
one  signing  himself  "Exeter"  in  the  Bangor  Jejfersonian, 
Feb.,  1858,  who  declares  that  it  is  "too  late  an  hour  for  the 
cry  of  Tiumbug'  in  Mr.  Quimby's  treatment  of  disease.  .  .  . 
People  are  beginning  to  inquire,  'Who  and  what  is  Dr. 
Quimby?  By  what  strange  agency  does  he  cure  disease 
which  for  years  has  baffled  the  skill  of  our  most  eminent 
physicians  ?' "  Another  newspaper  writer  of  the  period 
says,l 

"We  have  been  told  that  the  *age  of  miracles'  is  passed,  but 
we  have  recently  heard  of  several  astonishing  cures  performed 
by  a  Dr.  P.  P.  Quimby,  which  seem  to  border  on  the  miracu- 
lous. How  these  cures  are  effected,  it  is  impossible  to  say, 
as  no  visible  means  are  employed.  The  most  obstinate 
cases  of  disease  have  been  made  to  disappear  at  the  mere 
will,  it  would  seem,  of  the  Doctor.  .  .  .  Having  heard  of 
a  remarkable  recovery,  we  called  on  the  patient,  an  intelligent 
young  lady,  who  stated  to  us  her  case,  and  the  manner  of 
her  cure,  the  facts  of  which  she  embodied,  at  our  request, 
in  the  following  letter.'* 


90  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

Portland,  Me.,  August  29th,  1860. 
Dr.  Quimhy, 

Dear  Sir: 

I  have  been  sick  since  five  years  ago  last  July,  having 
a  great  deal  of  pain  in  my  back  and  limbs,  "caused  by  blue 
pills  taken  two  years  before,"  physicians  said,  giving  me 
"spinal  disease."  Very  soon  I  was  unable  to  walk,  or  even 
stand,  and  for  months  I  was  prostrate  upon  my  bed  and 
confined  to  a  dark  room,  having  neuralgia  in  the  optic 
nerve,  dyspepsia  in  its  worst  form,  making  me  a  great 
sufferer.  After  being  for  two  years  in  the  care  of  my  uncle 
and  brother,  they  decided  medicine  would  not  cure  me, 
and  took  me  to  a  Water  Cure,  at  Hill,  N.  H.  At  this  time 
I  could  not  stand  and  was  wheeled  about  in  a  wheel  chair; 
my  general  health  improved,  and  two  years  ago  this  fall  I 
was  able  to  walk  about  the  room  for  two  weeks  only,  and 
with  this  exception  I  have  not  walked  in  five  years.  The 
Water  Cure  physician  decided  there  was  no  help  for  me  there, 
concluding  the  spinal  marrow  was  diseased. 

Hearing  of  you,  I  set  out  at  once  to  see  you.  Arriving 
at  the  United  States  Hotel  in  Portland,  August  15th,  A.M., 
I  was  carried  up  stairs  to  my  room  in  my  wheel  chair,  and  in 
fifteen  minutes  after  I  saw  you.  Dr.  Quimby,  I  was  walking. 
I  went  down  stairs  to  dinner  without  any  assistance,  and  to  my 
room  again,  and  during  the  P.  M.,  I  took  long  walks  of  about 
forty  steps  and  back  again,  and  when  you  consider  that 
in  the  morning  of  the  same  day,  I  could  only  stand  for  an 
instant,  and  take  two  or  three  steps  with  assistance,  you  will 
not  wonder  that  I  was  wild  with  delight,  or  that  I  was  to 
myself  like  one  risen  from  the  dead.  The  second  day 
I  walked  on  the  street  sixteen  rods,  and  during  the  sixth 
day  I  walked  four  miles  and  a  half,  and  in  less  than  two 
weeks  I  walked  into  Portland  from  Falmouth,  four  miles. 
My  disease  is  entirely  gone,  my  back  is  perfectly  well,  and 
I  have  no  fears  of  a  relapse. 

Yours  with  much  esteem, 

F.  C.  B. 

Residence,  Williamstown,  Vt. 
[To  this  testimony  may  be  added  that  of  Mr.  Julius  Dresser, 
restored  to  health  by  Mr.  Quimby  three  months  before  and 
devoting  himself  to  conversing  with  patients  on  "the  Truth." 
Mr.  Dresser  saw  Miss  B.  in  her  invalid  condition,  then  walked 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY  91 

and  talked  with  her  during  some  of  the  trips  above  mentioned, 
learning  the  facts  of  the  case  at  first  hand,  and  seeing  that 
she  was  perfectly  restored  to  health.  The  newspaper  writer 
above  quoted  continues  his  account  in  the  Evening  Courier, 
Sept.,  1860,  as  follows:] 

Now,  if  this  were  a  solitary  case,  we  might  ascribe  the 
cure  to  the  imagination,  as  it  is  well  known  that  imagination 
has  worked  wonders  in  this  way.  But  this  is  but  one  of  a 
number  of  equally  remarkable  cases  which  have  occurred  here 
in  our  midst,  and  witnesses  stand  ready  to  bear  testimony  to 
the  facts.  One  lady  who  had  been  severely  afflicted  with 
rheumatism,  and  for  years  was  bent  nearly  double,  a  perfect 
cripple,  unable  to  use  her  hands  or  feet,  was  in  a  short  time 
restored  to  health,  and  is  now  a  living,  working  evidence  of 
the  Doctor's  skill.  A  gentleman,  a  friend  of  ours,  had  for 
years  been  afflicted  with  a  hip  complaint.  He  had  for  a  long 
time  been  confined  to  his  bed,  and  was  brought  so  low 
his  physicians  had  given  him  up,  with  the  intimation  he  could 
live  but  a  few  days.  It  was  purposed  to  call  in  Dr.  Quimby. 
This  the  gentleman  objected  strenuously  to,  being  bitterly 
opposed  to  anything  like  humbuggery,  and  the  Dr.  he  con- 
sidered one  of  the  biggest  of  humbugs.  His  wife,  however, 
insisted  on  calling  in  Dr.  Q.  He  visited  him — and  yester- 
day we  met  the  patient  on  the  street,  going  home  to  dinner, 
looking  heartier  than  we  have  seen  him  for  a  long  time. 
He  considers  himself  entirely  cured  of  the  complaint. 
We  told  him  people  considered  all  these  cures  as  humbugs. 
So  did  I,  was  his  reply,  but  here  I  am,  and  if  humbug 
can  work  such  wonders,  glory  be  to  humbug,  say  I :  and  so 
say  we.  We  might  cite  a  dozen  other  cases,  but  we  refrain. 
We  have  no  other  motive  in  mentioning  these  rare  cures 
than  to  make  our  readers  acquainted  with  the  remarkable 
phenomena.  We  have  but  a  slight  acquaintance  with  Dr. 
Quimby,  and  have  no  interest  in  publishing  his  astonishing 
cures  to  the  world.  We  have  mentioned  them  as  affording 
matters  of  curious  specuilatibn.  We  must  confess  tliere 
is  something  about  them  more  than  our  philosophy  ever 
dreamed  of.^ 

i  The  editor  of  a  Lowell,  Mass.,  paper  prints  a  communication 
from  Miss  B.  in  which  she  pives  the  same  facts  cited  above,  and  says, 
"The  younjr  lady  who  sends  us  the  following  .  .  .  has  relatives  in 
this  city  whom  she  has  recently  visited.     We  have  no  question  of 


93  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

[The  next  testimonial  first  appeared  in  the  Lebanon,  N.  H., 
Free  Press,  and  was  then  copied  by  other  papers  in  Maine 
and  New  Hampshire.] 

Lebanon,  Dec.  3,  1860. 

Just  at  the  present  time  there  is  a  good  deal  said  about 
Dr.  Quimby,  of  Portland,  and  it  may  not  be  considered 
amiss  to  mention  the  case  of  a  young  lady  of  this  town  who 
has  been  greatly  benefitted  by  him.  For  nearly  three  years  she 
has  been  an  invalid — a  great  part  of  the  time  confined  to 
her  bed,  and  never  left  her  room  unless  carried  out  by  her 
friends.  A  few  weeks  since  she  heard  of  Dr.  Quimby,  and 
resolved  to  visit  him.  She  did  so,  and  after  remaining 
under  his  care  four  days  she  returned  home  free  from  all 
pain  and  disease,  and  is  now  rapidly  regaining  health  and 
strength. 

The  reputation  of  Dr.  Quimby  as  a  man  who  cures  diseases 
has  extended  without  the  narrow  limits  of  his  own  state, 
and  the  sick  from  various  parts  have  learned  to  avail  them- 
selves of  his  services.  The  increasing  respect  and  confidence 
of  the  public  in  his  success  suggests  the  day  of  miracles, 
and  brings  up  a  question  as  absurd  as  that  of  two  thousand 
years  ago,  "Can  any  good  come  out  of  Nazareth?"  Can  ac- 
tual disease  be  cured  by  humbug?  Dr.  Quimby  effects  his 
cures  without  the  aid  of  medicine  or  outward  applications, 
and  his  practice  embraces  cases  like  the  above,  where  all  or- 
dinary treatment  has  failed  to  relieve.  These  facts  at  first 
place  him  in  the  rank  of  the  mysteries  of  a  superstitious 
world,  but  there  are  few  of  his  patients  after  a  second  inter- 
view who  do  not  think  the  mystery  is  in  them  and  not  in 
him.  ...  It  is  here  that  Dr.  Quimby  stands,  his  explanation 
and  his  cures  go  hand  in  hand.  While  his  senses  [intuition] 
are  penetrating  the  dark  mystery  of  the  sick,  he  is  in  com- 
plete possession  of  his  consciousness  as  a  man.  Not  fearing 
to  investigate  the  operation  of  the  mind,  he  penetrated  the 
region  [where]  nothing  but  magicians,  sorcerers,  witchcraft 
and  spiritualists  have  ventured,  and  going  far  beyond  them 
in  his  experiments,  he  arrived  at  the  knowledge  of  the 
principle  regulating  happiness. 

Therefore  his  curing  disease  is  perfectly  intelligent  and 
is  in  itself  a  new  philosophy  of  life.     The  foundation  of  his 

the  entire  truthfulness  of  her  statements,  which  we  have  heard  orally 
and  with  more  particularity."  The  communication  is  dated  Oct. 
22,  1860. 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY  93 

theory  ...  is  that  disease  is  not  self-existent,  nor  created 
by  God,  but  that  it  is  purely  the  invention  of  man.  Yet 
it  is  so  firmly  established  in  our  belief,  and  substantiated 
by  so  much  wisdom  that  its  existence  as  an  independent 
entity  is  never  questioned.  In  his  treatment  he  makes  a  com- 
plete separation  between  the  sufferer  and  the  sickness;  for 
the  latter  he  has  no  respect,  and  while  he  is  battling  or 
destroying  the  faith  or  belief  of  which  it  is  made,  he  respects 
the  intelligence  of  the  patient,  which  he  leaves  free  and 
unchained. 

It  is  impossible  in  a  brief  communication  to  do  anything 
like  justice  to  Dr.  Quimby's  system.  Enough  has  been  said 
to  separate  him  from  quacks  and  imposters.  The  case 
cited  above  is  not  a  solitary  instance  of  his  skill  in  practising 
his  science,  and  his  increasing  popularity  with  all  classes 
shows  that  the  confidence  of  the  public  is  not  misplaced. 

ONE  WHO  HAS  BEEN  RELIEVED. 

[Having  heard  that  Quimby  had  restored  a  woman  who 
had  been  dumb,  an  interested  reader  reported  the  results  of 
investigations  he  had  been  prompted  to  make  concerning  this 
cure,  which  occurred  during  the  same  year,  185G,  the  patient 
being  a  daughter  of  Capt.  Blodgett,  of  Brooksville.  Tbe  patient 
had  been  suddenly  deprived  of  her  speech  twvi  years  before.] 

No  cause  was  known,  and  the  fact  excited  a  melancholy 
surprise  in  herself.  .  .  .  She  had  not  been  sick  .  .  .  nor  had 
any  trouble  of  mind  or  body  been  known  to  have  produced 
speechlessness.  .  .  .  One  evening  her  "speech  was  observed 
to  be  slightly  impaired.  She  retired  as  usual,  and  on  waking 
in  the  morning  she  found  herself  utterly  speechless.  From 
that  time  .  .  .  she  had  not  uttered  an  audible  word.  .  .  . 
She  is  now  in  full  possession  of  her  former  powers  of 
speech.  .  .  .  One  physician  attributed  the  cause  to  a  sort  of 
paralysis  of  the  vocal  organs.  [The  best  medical  aid  had 
been  sought  without  avail].  .  .  . 

Mr.  Q.  says  he  employs  no  medicine  of  any  kind  for  any 
complaint  he  is  called  upon  to  treat.  His  theory  is  .  .  .  tliat 
all  diseases  of  the  body  are  caused  by  a  derangement  of  the 
mind !  And  that  the  cure  of  all  diseases  may  be  effected, 
theoretically,  by  a  restoration  or  rectification  of  the  mind 
of  the  invalid,  to  its  natural,  proper  condition.  He  has  this 
faith,  and  when  he  succeeds  in  imparting  it  to  the  patient. 


94  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

the  disease  vanishes  and  the  whole  person  is  restored  to  har- 
monious natural  functions.  His  formula  of  faith  is  con- 
fessedly that  of  the  Saviour  and  the  woman  who  touched  the 
hem  of  his  garment  and  became  whole.  The  operation  is 
purely  mental.  Mr.  Q.  discards  this  scriptural  fact  as  a 
"miracle,"  but  regards  it  as  natural,  as  properly  reproductive 
by  those  who  have  the  right  idea  of  diseases  and  their  cure, 
and  who  have  the  faith  to  attempt  to  relieve  human  suffer- 
ing. .  .  .  He  refrains  entirely  from  any  manipulation  over 
the  patients,  such  as  are  generally  known  to  be  the  accompani- 
ments of  mesmeric  experiments.  He  neither  puts  them  to 
sleep  nor  biologizes  them,  but  takes  them  as  he  finds 
them  .  .  ,  explains  the  method  he  proposes  for  a  cure.  .  .  . 
This  is  the  way  in  which  he  says  he  restored  this  young  lady 
to  the  power  of  speech — with  no  other  application  but  the 
power  of  his  speech  upon  her  mind.  .  .  .  We  have  no 
reason  to  doubt  the  material  statements  in  this  case.  .  .  .  Mr. 
Quimby  is  not  a  "spiritualist"  in  any  sense  of  the  term. 
[Interest  in  this  case  led  to  the  reporting  of  another  instance 
by  the  same  writer,  that  of  a  Miss  Buker,  afflicted  with  a 
hip  disease,  the  conditions  being  described  in  much  detail. 
In  an  utterly  hopeless  condition  she  consulted  Mr.  Quimby 
in  Belfast,  and  the  account  continues  as  follows:] 

She  began  immediately  to  improve,  and  has  grown  better 
every  week  to  a  wonderful  degree.  The  disease  has  measure- 
ably  departed  from  the  hip,  and  the  leg  has  resumed  almost 
its  natural  length  and  strength.  She  threw  aside  her  crutches 
a  week  or  two  ago  .  .  .  and  now  she  walks  with  considerable 
ease  and  no  pain,  with  the  aid  of  only  a  small  cane  in  one 
hand.  She  lifts  her  foot  with  ease,  and  bears  her  whole 
weight  upon  it  momentarily  while  walking — a  thing  which 
until  within  a  few  weeks  she  had  not  been  able  to  do  for  fifteen 
long  years.  The  reader  may  imagine  the  enthusiastic  con- 
gratulations in  which  she  indulges  at  the  cheering  prospect 
she  now  has  of  being  completely  restored  to  health.  She  is 
apparently  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  new  life.  .  .  .  Dr.  Quimby 
has  used  no  medicine  or  material  appliances  whatever,  inter- 
nally or  externally — he  has  not  even  seen  nor  touched  the  part 
afflicted.  All  he  has  done  has  been  by  acts  of  volition,  convers- 
ing with  his  patient  daily  for  about  six  weeks,  "teaching  her," 
as  he  says,  "the  use  of  her  limbs  and  how  to  walk."  He  feels 
confident  that  he  has  obtained  the  mastery  of  the  disease  .  .  . 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY.  95 

he  got  the  mind  and  most  of  the  body  of  the  patient  on  the 
winning  side.  He  believes  that  their  mutual  "faith" 
will  yet  make  his  patient  "whole."  "He  says  he  is  not  per- 
forming a  miracle"  but  a  "cure,"  by  the  exercise,  in  a  novel 
way,  of  those  powers  of  intellect  and  reason  with  which 
the  Greater  has  endowed  him  in  common  with  all  intelligent 
beings.  [This  eminently  fair-minded  man  appeals  to  his 
readers  to  visit  the  patient  if  so  inclined  and  see  for  themselves 
while  the  actual  process  of  restoration  to  health  is  going 
on.] 

[More  convincing  to  some  will  be  the  testimony  of  F.  L. 
Town,  assistant  Surgeon,  U.  S.  A.,  Louisville,  Ky.,  who,  in  a 
communication  over  his  own  signature,  March,  1862,  wrote 
to  a  Portland  paper  concerning  his  observations  and  knowledge 
of  the  experience  of  a  patient  under  Quimby's  care.  The 
editor,  in  introducing  the  letter  says,  "The  Doctor  himself 
came  to  the  International  Hotel  ...  an  invalid,  so  feeble 
that  he  had  to  be  assisted  in  getting  into  the  door,  and 
afterwards  to  his  room  on  the  second  floor.  He  was  so 
terribly  dyspeptic  that  he  could  eat  no  solid  food,  nor  could 
he  swallow  cold  water.  .  .  .  The  Doctor  left  completely 
cured,  in  about  six  weeks  from  his  coming  to  visit  Mt. 
Quimby.  .  .  .  About  the  facts  of  the  Doctor's  remarkable 
cures  there  is  no  doubt;  but  there  may  be  question  about  Jiow 
they  are  done."  Dr.  Town's  communication  is  as  follows:] 
Mr.  Editor:  I  believe  you  have  some  knowledge  of  Dr. 
Quimby  of  the  International  and  his  peculiar  mode  of  practice. 
By  a  chain  of  unforeseen  circumstances.  I  have  been  led  to 
know  something  of  Dr.  Q.  and  the  modus  operandi  in  the 
treatment  of  his  patients.  With  a  broad  faith  in  the  virtue 
of  men  I  believe  him  to  be  an  honest  man  in  his  profession, 
who  practises  as  he  believes,  and  would  not  intentionally 
deceive  anyone.  His  treatment  is  peculiar  to  himself  and 
independent  of  all  systems  or  forms  of  practice  whatever. 
For  that  pretentious  class,  who  in  the  guise  of  spiritualists, 
clairvoyants,  and  all  other  charlatans  who  with  no  previous 
study,  or  knowledge  of  the  power  or  effect  of  the  medicines 
they  prescribe,  seek  to  humbug  communities  ...  he  has  as 
little  esteem,  and  holds  himself  as  sensitively  separate  from 
them  as  the  most  orthodox  practitioner.  He  has  no  sympathy 
or  connection  with  them.  Neither  is  his  practice  more  nearly 
allied  to  that  of  the  regular  practitioner.  He  gives  no  medi- 
cine. .  .  . 


96  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

The  patient  will  find  him  unassuming  in  his  manners, 
and  no  more  ready  to  talk  of  his  successes  than  other  men 
of  theirs.  .  .  .  He  will  explain  to  you  his  way  of  practice, 
give  you  the  benefit  of  his  treatment,  entertain  you  with 
stereoscopic  views  of  his  theory  or  belief,  and  end  off  perhaps 
by  explaining  a  few  passages  of  Scripture.  However,  a 
man's  belief  is  one  thing,  and  his  success  in  practice  is 
another;  this  alone  wins  a  favorable  opinion  and  wise  con- 
fidence. There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Dr.  Q.  has  been  the 
means  of  doing  much  good,  as  many  patients  from  their 
homes,  now  in  the  enjoyment  of  health,  are  willing  to  testify. 
In  some  instances  his  treatment  has  been  attended  by  the 
most  unexpected  and  happy  results,  affording  great  and 
immediate  relief,  when  hope  almost  had  failed.  These  are 
not  isolated  cases,  but  none  the  less  wonderful. 

I  will  briefly  relate  the  history  of  the  following  case,  in 
which  the  ties  of  near  consanguinity  awakened  the  liveliest 
sympathy,  and  the  happy  termination  of  which  was  the  cause 
of  equal  surprise  and  pleasure.  A  member  of  our  family  had, 
while  in  that  transition  period  between  happy  childhood  and 
budding  womanhood,  gradually  lost  the  power  of  walking  or 
standing,  and  for  a  number  of  years  (some  five  or  six)  was 
wholly  unable  to  make  any  use  of  her  limbs  whatever.  There 
was  no  deformity,  nor  any  discoverable  lesion,  but  weakness, 
and  all  attempts  to  use  them  were  attended  by  such  excessive 
pain  that  they  had  to  be  given  up.  During  this  time  she 
was  confined  exclusively  to  the  house,  as  the  jar  of  a  carriage 
could  not  be  borne ;  and  often  the  tread  of  an  incautious  foot 
across  the  floor  was  productive  of  pain.  She  was  visited  by 
some  of  our  most  skilful  practitioners,  men  of  acknowledged 
ability  and  professors  in  popular  colleges.  They  expressed  a 
belief  that  in  time  a  recovery  might  be  hoped  for. 

Several  years  passed,  and  time  brought  no  healing  on  its 
wings,  but  new  causes  of  suffering.  Her  disease  began  to 
assume  a  much  graver  type — ^the  eyes  became  morbidly  sen- 
sitive to  light,  which  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  the  least 
degree  of  light  seemed  unbearable.  The  shutters  were  closed, 
curtains  were  drawn,  and  heavy  blankets  followed,  tacked 
closely  over  the  windows.  The  digestive  powers  became  much 
impaired.  The  stomach,  in  failing  to  perform  its  office, 
sympathized  with  the  rest  of  the  system.  .  .  .  For  five 
months  the  only  nourishment  that  could  be  borne  .  .  .  was  a 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY  97 

few  cups  of  milk  and  water  drank  during  the  twenty-four 
hours.  In  darkness,  helpless  and  unable  to  take  any  proper 
food,  she  wasted  away  till  she  was  but  the  shadow  of  her 
former  self.  Greatly  prostrated  and  seemingly  emaciated  to 
the  last  degree,  scarcely  a  hope  was  left  for  recovery. 

Through  the  earnest  representation  of  friends,  Dr.  Quimby 
was  employed,  certainly  with  the  least  expectation  of  any 
benefit.  We  were  little  prepared  to  witness  the  surprising 
and  gratifying  amendment  that  attended  his  visit. 

The  relief  afforded  was  immediate,  entire.  All  pain  and 
irritation  ceased,  and  the  patient  was  convalescent.  Light 
again  began  to  shed  its  cheering  rays  through  the  room,  for 
six  months  darkened.  The  digestive  powers  increased,  and 
she  was  able  to  eat  simple  food.  The  use  of  her  limbs  re- 
turned ;  and  under  a  more  generous  diet,  and  as  new  strength 
gave  power  to  them,  she  was  able  to  walk.  In  a  few  months 
her  weight  more  than  doubled.  ...  At  that  time,  stopping 
at  a  distant  city,  I  soon  came  home  to  witness  these  happy 
results.  How  great  was  the  change !  .  .  .  Like  a  child, 
she  was  again  learning  to  walk.  The  hue  of  health  was 
chasing  from  the  cheek  the  pallor  of  sickness,  whilst  her 
returning  smile  and  speaking  eye  told  of  the  happiness  within. 
Her  whole  aspect  showed  that  she  was  indeed  a  new  being. 

Save  an  occasional  drawback,  which  a  visit  of  a  few  weeks 
to  Dr.  Q.  set  all  right,  she  has  steadily  mended  to  the  present, 
(nearly  two  years).  The  eyes  are  still  troublesome,  but  im- 
proving; otherwise  her  health  is  apparently  confirmed. 

Other  cases  equally  remarkable  have  come  to  my  knowledge, 
whose  history  and  symptoms  were  every  way  different.  It  is 
apparent  that  his  influence  is  not  confined  to  one  class  of 
diseases,  and  in  no  case  could  one  safely  predicate  whether  or 
not  relief  might  be  expected.  However,  all  may  not  hope  to 
be  set  at  once  in  the  broad  highway  to  health.  .  .  .  Con- 
sidering the  means  employed,  and  the  diversity  of  the  cases, 
Dr.  Q.'s  success  is  remarkable — whether  it  depends  more  upon 
the  man,  or  he  acts  upon  the  first  principle  of  that  which, 
when  better  understood,  shall  be  recognized  as  a  new  remedial 
agency  .  .  .  time  will  tell. 

These  few  remarks  are  made  as  an  act  of  justice  to  Dr. 
Q.  .  .  .  Let  us  then  in  the  exercise  of  Christian  charity,  if 
plain  facts  are  before  us,  and  we  find  an  individual  who  can 
alleviate  the  pains  of  a  single  sufferer,  strew  flowers  in  his 


98  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

pathway  through  life,  accept  them  as  a  verity  and  bid  him 
Godspeed. 

[Writing  under  the  head  of  "The  Art  of  Healing,"  another 
interested  observer,  signing  himself  "H.,"  communicates  to 
the  Portland  Advertiser,  Feb.  1860,  his  conclusions  in  the  case 
of  Quimby's  practice.     He  says  in  part:] 

Every  tlieory  admitting  evil  as  an  element  cannot  annihi- 
late it.  If  disease  is  ever  driven  out  of  existence,  it  must  be 
by  a  theory  and  practice  entirely  at  variance  with  what  we 
now  put  our  trust  in.  .  .  .  In  every  age  there  have  been 
individuals  possessing  the  power  of  healing  the  sick  and 
foretelling  events.  .  .  .  Spiritualists,  mesmerists,  and  clair- 
voyants, making  due  allowance  for  imposition,  have  proved 
this  power  is  still  in  existence.  Like  this  in  the  vague  im- 
pression of  its  character,  but  infinitely  beyond  any  demonstra- 
tion of  the  same  intelligence  and  skill,  is  the  practice  of  a 
physician  who  has  been  among  us  a  year  and  to  whose  treat- 
ment some  hopeless  invalids  owe  their  recovered  health. 

I  refer  to  Dr.  P.  P.  Quimby.  With  no  reputation  except 
for  honesty,  which  he  carries  in  his  face  and  the  faint 
rumor  of  his  cures,  he  has  established  himself  in  our  city 
and  by  his  success  merits  public  attention.  .  .  .  He  stands 
among  his  patients  as  a  reformer,  originating  an  entirely 
new  theory  in  regard  to  disease  and  practising  it  with  a 
skill  and  ease  which  only  comes  from  knowledge  and  ex- 
perience. His  success  in  reaching  all  kinds  of  diseases,  from 
chronic  cases  of  years'  standing  to  acute  disease,  shows  that 
he  must  practise  upon  a  principle  different  from  what 
has  ever  been  taught.  His  position  as  an  irregular  practi- 
tioner has  confined  him  principally  to  the  patronage  of  the 
ignorant,  the  credulous  and  the  desperate,  and  the  most  of  his 
cases  have  been  those  which  have  not  yielded  to  ordinary- 
treatment.^ 

[In  introducing  the  following  letter  to  the  Portland  Adver- 
tiser, the  editor  says ;  "We  publish  this  morning  a  communi- 
cation over  the  name  of  'Vermont,'  from  a  very  intelligent 
young  lady  who,  with  her  mother,  was  a  boarder  at  the 
International  Hotel  during  the  most  of  last  winter.  The 
mother  was  a  lady,  we  judge,  of  about  fifty  years,  and  the 
daughter  about  twenty.     The  mother  had  been  treated  for 

1  This  communication  was  reprinted  in  full  in  "The  Philosophy 
of  P.   P.   Quimby,"  p.   25. 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY  99 

scrofula,  which  her  physician  thought  was  incurahle.  The 
daughter  was  simply  afflicted  with  general  debility.  Both 
left  restored  to  health.  The  lady,  whose  voice  was  restored, 
lost  it  nearly  three  years  since  by  scarlet  fever,  and  during 
that  whole  time  had  not  spoken."] 

One  of  the  most  noticeable  characteristics  of  the  present 
time  is  a  growing  distrust  in  the  virtue  of  medicine,  as  in 
itself  able  to  cure  disease;  and  this  state  of  the  public  mind — 
this  demand  for  some  better  mode  of  treating  tlie  sick 
has  either  created  or  jfinds  ready  an  army  of  new  school  prac- 
titioners of  every  possible  kind,  some  sincerely  desirous  of 
doing  good  and  firmly  believing  what  they  profess,  while 
others  are  only  too  willing  to  impose  upon  credulity  and 
benefit  themselves  thereby.  Under  such  circumstances  it 
would  be  extremely  difficult  for  a  true  reformer,  who  not 
only  sees  the  errors  of  the  past  and  present,  but  dares  to  take 
entirely  different  views  even  of  the  origin  of  disease,  to 
acquire  for  himself  a  reputation  distinct  from  the  many 
who  also  profess  to  have  advanced  far  in  the  new  paths  they 
have  chosen,  though  in  reality  having  started  from  the  same 
point  that  all  others  have  in  times  past,  they  will  in  the  end 
arrive  at  nearly  the  same  conclusions.  Even  great  success 
in  the  practice  of  his  theory,  might  for  a  time  be  insufficient 
to  establish  public  confidence,  and  prevent  his  being  ranked 
with  all  the  innovators  of  the  day. 

[This  states  in  an  admirable  way  precisely  the  difficulty 
Quimby  encountered,  classified  as  he  was  with  humbugs, 
spiritualists,  magnetic  healers,  and  the  like,  although  radi- 
cally different  from  them.     This  writer  goes  on  to  say :] 

Many  people  who  have  lost  faith  in  the  ancient  school,  are 
at  the  same  time  startled  by  such  reasoning  as  Dr.  Quimby 
uses  with  regard  to  disease.  It  is  so  contrary  to  the  commonly 
received  opinions,  they  hardly  dare  believe  there  can  be  any 
truth  in  it.  They  hear  of  remarkable  success  in  his  practice, 
but  are  then  still  more  incredulous  and  say,  'The  age  of 
miracles  has  passed  away,  and  this  is  too  much  to  believe.' 
But  'seeing  is  believing'  .  .  .  and  after  having  opportunity 
to  see  some  of  the  remarkable  effects  which  Dr.  Quimby  has 
had  upon  obstinate  cases  of  long  standing  disease,  they  are 
compelled  to  yield,  though  it  may  be  reluctantly,  that  there 
is  living  truth  in  his  principles — that  he  has  cast  off  the 
shackles  of  Qpinion,  which  would  narrowly  enclose  the  limits 


100  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

of  investigation.  .  .  .  They  came  to  liim  suspicious,  almost 
unwilling  to  believe  what  they  saw,  ignorant  of  his  theory 
which,  even  after  it  was  explained,  they  found  difficult  to 
understand,  and  therefore  had  to  go  through  with  this  process 
of  gradual  conviction  before  they  would  receive  its  truths. 
So  it  may  be  said  that  he  has  ix)  contend  with  those  who 
would  be  his  friends,  as  well  as  with  his  enemies. 

The  following  outline  of  his  theory  was  written  after 
having  passed  through  a  similiar  change  of  feeling,  and  may 
give  some  general  idea — thoug*h  a  very  imperfect  one — • 
of  the  principles  which  are  so  effective  in  opposing  disease. 

According  to  this  new  theory,  disease  is  the  invention  of 
man.  It  is  caused  by  a  disturbance  of  the  mind — which  is 
spiritual  matter  [or  substance] — and  therefore  originates 
there.  We  can  call  to  mind  instances  where  disease  has  been 
produced  instantly  by  excitement,  anger,  fear  or  joy.  Is 
it  not  the  more  rational  conclusion  that  disease  is  always 
caused  by  influences  upon  the  mind,  rather  than  that  it 
has  an  identity,  and  comes  to  us  and  attacks  us  ? 

Living  in  a  world  full  of  error  in  this  respect  and  [educated] 
to  believe  that  disease  is  something  we  cannot  escape,  it  is 
not  strange  that  our  fear  comes  upon  us.  We  take  the  opin- 
ions of  men  which  have  no  knowledge  in  them  for  truth.  So 
we  all  agree  to  arbitrary  rules  with  regard  to  our  mode  of 
life,  and  suffer  the  penalties  attached  to  any  disobedience  of 
the  same.  These  diseases  or  penalties  are  real  to  us  though 
they  are  the  results  of  our  own  belief. 

It  is  reasonable  to  infer  from  these  statements  that  the 
only  way  to  approach  and  eradicate  disease  must  be  through 
the  mind,  to  trace  the  cause  of  this  misery  and  hold  up  to  it 
the  light  of  reason,  or  disbelief  in  the  existence  of  disease 
independent  of  the  mind.  Then  the  cloud  like  shadows 
vanishes  as  error  always  will  when  overpowered  by  the  light 
of  truth. 

Dr.  Quimby  proves  the  truth  of  this  belief  by  his  daily 
works.  The  marvelous  cures  he  is  effecting  are  undeniable 
evidence  of  his  superior  knowledge  and  skill  in  applying  it 
for  the  benefit  of  suffering  humanity.  He  does  not  use 
medicine  or  .any  material  agency,  nor  call  to  his  aid 
mesmerism  or  any  [spiritistic]  influences  whatever;  but 
works  upon  scientific  principles,  the  philosophy  of  which  is 
perfectly  understood  by  the  patient,  therefore  [the  patient] 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY-  101. 

is  not  only  rid  of  the  present  trouble  but  also  of  the  liability 
to  disease  in  the  future.  ... 

Accepting  this  new  theory,  man  is  placed  superior  to 
circumstances,  easily  adapting  himself  to  any  necessity.  Free 
from  all  fear,  he  lives  a  more  simple,  natural  and  happy  life. 
He  is  enabled  to  control  the  body  and  make  it  subservient 
to  his  will,  instead  of  his  being  a  slave,  completely  at  its 
mercy,  which  he  will  be  if  he  allows  that  it  is  subject  to 
disease. 

This  truth  is  capable  of  extensive  practical  application 
in  all  the  exigencies  of  life,  and  we  learn  to  make  constant 
use  of  it  as  we  advance  in  knowledge.  It  helps  us  to  place 
a  just  estimate  upon  everything,  the  value  of  life  is  enhanced, 
and  as  we  have  more  of  this  true  knowledge  in  ourselves  we 
shall  love  and  worship  God,  who  is  the  source  of  all  wisdom, 
more  sincerely  and  intelligently. 

[The  following  was  inserted  as  an  advertisement  in  a  Port- 
land, Maine,  paper,  Feb.  3,  1861,  in  gratitude  for  the  work 
Dr.  Quimby  was  doing.] 

THE  ANNIHILATION   OF  DISEASE 

Disease  is  the  great  enemy  of  life.  Even  those  who  are  free 
from  it  admit  that  they  are  liable  to  it  and  are  in  constant 
fear  of  the  danger. 

It  is  quite  a  new  idea  that  disease  cannot  only  be  eradi- 
cated but  annihilated,  and  might  be  questioned  were  it  not 
daily  proved  by  the  practice  of  Dr.  P.  P.  QUIMBY,  of  Port- 
land, M.aine,  who  has  discovered  an  entirely  new  method  of 
curing  disease  upon  scientific  principles,  without  the  use  of 
medicine  or  any  material  agency :  also,  without  the  use  of 
mesmerism  or  any  spiritual^  influence  whatever.  He  is  con- 
stantly curing  the  more  desperate  cases  of  disease — paralysis, 
consumption,  neuralgia  yield  to  his  control,  and  the  deaf, 
blind  and  lame  are  made  whole  by  a  philosophy  which  is 
perfectly  intelligent  to  themselves,  and  is  able  not  only  to 
rid  them  of  present  trouble,  but  also  from  the  liability  to 
disease  in  the  future. 

These  statements  are  made  without  the  knowledge  of  Dr. 
Quimby,  for  the  benefit  of  any  who,  suffering  from  disease, 
have  failed  to  find  relief,  and  are  left  without  hope  of  finding 

I  i.  e.  spiritistic, 


XQ'4-  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

assistance,  by  one  who  has  been  in  that  condition,  but  was 
saved  by  his  cure  from  despair  and  death. 

Dr.  Quimby  has,  after  years  of  patient  investigation, 
discovered  this  new  principle  in  metaphysics,  which  cannot 
fail  to  interest  the  well,  and  is  of  incalculable  importance 
to  the  sick.  But  his  superior  knowledge  and  skill  in  applying 
it  to  the  cure  of  disease  is  accompanied  by  such  rare  modesty 
of  character  that  he  has  never  taken  any  means  to  make 
himself  known  to  the  world,  and  therefore  he  is  only  known 
within  the  limits  of  the  influence  which  his  patients  may 
hold  in  society. 

As  a  token  of  gratitude  to  him,  as  well  as  for  the  benefit 
of  any  who  may  be  suffering  from  disease,  he  is  thus  un- 
hesitatingly and  publicly  recommended, 
[The  name  of  E.  Chase,  Portland,  is  appended  in  ink  to  the 
following  testimonial,  clipped  from  the  Portland  Advertiser, 
I860:] 

Eeader,  did  you  ever  see  Dr.  Quimby?  You  have  heard 
of  him.  As  a  Doctor  he  is  nondescript.  He  ignores  all 
material  medicines.  He  does  not  give  the  infinitestimal 
atoms  of  Homeopathy  or  bread  pills.  He  repudiates  all  spirit- 
ual medicineship  as  he  does  the  whole  catalogue  of  pills  and 
liquids  recorded  in  the  M.  D.'s  Materia  Medica.  These  he 
asserts  are  all  humbugs,  and  the  works  of  darkness. 

His  patients  come  from  the  four  winds  of  heaven  .  .  .  no, 
not  from  the  South.  The  Doctor  is  a  strong  Union  man  ;  and 
would  as  soon  cure  a  sick  rattlesnake  as  a  sick  rebel.  He  has 
patients  from  all  parts  of  New  England,  the  Middle  States, 
and  the  West.  And  his  patients  are  all  from  the  wealthier 
and  educated  classes.  He  has  a  large  practice  in  this  city 
and  neighborhood.  Most  of  his  patients  get  well  under 
his  curative  process,  which  differs  from  all  other  modes  and 
theories  of  medical  practice.^ 

We  have  been  boarding  at  the  International  Hotel,  in  this 
city,  during  the  last  six  weeks,  and  we  have  witnessed  some 
remarkable  cases;  as  have  all  the  regular  boarders.  We 
express  no  opinion  about  the  modus  operandi;  except  to  say 
positively  that  the  Doctor's  practice,  if  it  do  not  cure,  can  do 
no  possible  harm,  as  he  gives  no  medicines. 

1  The  writer  puts  in  his  own  opinion  when  he  speaks  as  if  Quimby 
had  only  wealthy  and  educated  patients.  This  was  not  true.  Ac- 
cording to  his  own  statement  above,  "medical"  should  be  omitted 
in  the  last  sentence, 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY  103 

[The  Portland  Evening  Courier  also  took  to  reporting  in- 
stances of  Dr.  Quimby's  cures  and  giving  space  to  articles 
by  patients.  Some  of  the  latter  were  by  Mrs.  Eddy,  then 
Mrs.  Patterson,  and  are  reprinted  in  another  chapter. 
Mrs.  Patterson's  sonnet,  also  quoted  elsewhere,  was  called 
out  by  the  striking  cure  of  Capt.  Deering.  Commenting  on 
this  cure,  a  writer  in  the  Courier  says :] 

Persons  who  know  bu^  little  of  the  theory  or  practice  of 
Dr.  P.  P.  Quimby  are  constantly  misrepresenting  both.  The 
Doctor  has  received  hundreds  of  testimonials  as  to  the  per- 
manency and  wonderful  nature  of  his  cures.  The  following 
statement  from  Capt.  John  W.  Deering,  of  Saco,  written  by 
himself,  will  have  great  weight  with  those  who  know  Mr. 
Deering,  and  it  is  published  as  much  to  refute  statements 
made  by  some  interested  persons  to  the  effect  that  the 
Doctor  acts  as  a  spirit  medium  and  mesmeriser,  as  for  the  tes- 
timony it  offers  in  support  of  the  healing  power  which  the 
Doctor  claims  to  exercise,  even  in  cases  called  chronic,  and 
given  over  by  old-school  physicians. 

[The  editor  also  takes  pains  to  say  that  this  wonderful 
cure,  one  of  many  equally  remarkable  and  astonishing  cures 
which  have  come  to  his  Icnowledge,  is  evidence  of  Quimby's 
theory,  as  "original  and  entirely  distinct  from  spirit  mediums 
and  mesmerisers.  .  .  .  Below  will  be  found  Capt.  Deering's 
statement.^'] 

"Early  in  August,  1862, 1  was  attacked  with  a  slight  pain 
in  the  small  of  my  back,  and  immediately  my  right  leg 
commenced  drawing  up,  so  that  in  ten  days,  while  standing  on 
my  left  foot,  I  could  but  just  touch  my  right  leg  on  the  seat 
of  a  common  chair.  All  this  time  I  suffered  great  pain  in 
my  knee  pan.  I  was  attended  by  two  of  the  best  physicians 
in  York  County,  who  applied  blisters,  leaches,  and  cappings 
to  my  right  thigh,  with  no  effect  except  to  increase  the 
pain. 

"I  became  entirely  discouraged,  when  I  heard  of  Dr.  P.  P. 
Quimby ;  and  after  many  solicitations  on  the  part  of  my 
friends  I  yielded  to  their  entreaties  and  visited  him.  After 
an  examination,  he  told  me  that  the  cause  of  my  difficulty  was 
a  contraction  of  the  muscles  about  the  right  side.  Physicians 
that  I  had  previously  consulted  had  treated  me  for  disease  of 
the  hip.  Almost  despairing  of  a  cure,  hut  willing  to  gratify 
the  wishes  of  my  friends,  I  remained  in  the  Doctor's  care. 


104  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

Without  calling  on  the  spirits  of  the  departed  for  aid,  with- 
out mesmerism  and  without  the  use  of  medicines  of  any 
kind,  he  succeeded  in  completely  restoring  the  muscles  of 
my  side  and  leg  to  their  proper  functions,  and  I  am  now  as 
well  as  ever.  I  visited  Dr.  Quimby  under  the  impression 
that  he  was  some  mysterious  personage  who  had  acquired  a 
great  reputation  for  curing  diseases,  and  who  must  exercise 
some  kind  of  mesmeric  control  over  the  will  and  imagination 
of  his  patients.  But  I  am  convinced  that  he  is  a  skilful 
physician,  whose  cures  are  not  the  result  of  accident,  but 
of  a  thorough  knowledge  and  application  of  correct  curative 
principles."^ 

Saco,  Jan  8,  1863.  John  W.  Dkering 

[It  is  interesting,  also,  to  note  the  zeal  with  which  some 
took  up  the  idea  of  absent  treatment  as  a  perfectly  intelligi- 
ble process  in  contrast  with  the  difficult  explanation  offered  by 
spiritists.  The  following  is  from  a  communication  addressed 
to  the  editor  of  the  Courier  by  a  writer  who  signs  himself, 
C.  C.  Whitney :] 

"As  spiritualism  seems  to  be  to  many  the  only  way  of 
accounting  for  all  phenomena  of  the  present  day,  I  thought 
it  might  be  of  some  interest  to  your  readers  to  state  a  case 
that  came  under  my  own  observation,  and  I  will  leave  the 
public  to  judge  of  the  manner  in  which  it  was  done. 

"Two  years  ago  last  March,  I  sent  to  Dr.  Quimby  to  visit 
my  wife,  then  living  in  Wayne,  in  this  state,  who  had  been 
confined  to  her  bed  for  over  a  year,  and  unable  to  lie  on  her 
left  side,  or  raise  herself  in  bed. 

"The  Doctor  replied  that  he  could  not  visit  her  in  person, 
but  would  try  an  experiment,  and  wished  me  to  keep  him 
informed  of  his  success.  His  plan  was  that  on  my  receiving 
his  letter  he  would  commence  to  operate  on  her  [absently,] 
and  continue  his  visits  till  the  next  Sunday,  when  he  would, 
between  the  hours  of  11  and  12,  make  her  walk.  I  received 
this  letter  Wednesday,  and  that  night  she  was  very  uneasy 
and  nervous,  and  the  next  day,   Thursday,   she  was  more 

1  What  most  impressed  people  who,  like  Capt.  Deering,  sup- 
posed Quimby  would  undertake  to  exercise  some  mesmeric  control 
over  their  wills,  was  the  fact  that  after  making  his  intuitive  diagnosis 
and  giving  his  silent  treatment  he  would  put  his  patients  in  command 
of  the  curative  principle  and  aid  them  to  help  themselves  the  first 
moment  possible.  This  convinced  them  that  he  was  no  charlatan 
but  a  genuine  friend  to  the  sick. 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY  105 

comfortable,  and  turned  over  on  her  left  side,  a  thing  she  had 
not  done  for  nearly  a  year.  She  continued  improving,  and 
[I]  sent  the  Doctor  letters  informing  him  of  his  success. 
On  Sunday,  not  expecting  her  to  rise,  I  attended  church,  and 
on  my  return  I  found  her  up  and  dressed.  Between  the 
hours  of  11  and  12  she  arose  from  her  bed  and  walked 
across  the  room,  returning  to  the  bed,  and  then  walked  out 
into  the  dining  room,  and  the  next  morning  she  took  break- 
fast with  the  family,  and  continued  to  improve."^ 

[The  letter  goes  on  to  say  that  the  patient  suffered  a 
partial  relapse  a  year  later,  and  her  husband,  being  in  Port- 
land, called  on  Quimby  for  help;  the  help  was  given  without 
informing  the  wife,  and  her  husband  reports  that  it  was 
with  success  according  to  Quimby's  predictions.  Evidently, 
there  had  been  no  opportunity  in  this  case  for  Quimby  to 
converse  with  the  patient  and  give  her  advice  regarding  her 
health.  The  editor,  commenting  on  the  above  instance,  thinks 
it  invites  explanation  from  those  who  would  attribute  it  to 
spiritistic  influences.  The  editor  was  much  impressed  by 
the  genuineness  of  the  explanation  offered  by  Quimby  in  such 
cases,  namely,  that  it  was  intelligent  use  of  therapeutic 
power,  not  the  agency  of  spirits ;  for  he  learned  from  a  woman 
in  Lancaster,  N.  H.,  that  at  the  time  appointed  by  Quimby 
for  visiting  Mrs.  Whitney  absently,  Quimby,  then  in  Lan- 
caster, remarked  that  he  "must  go  to  Wayne  to  visit  a  patient." 
After  retiring  to  the  parlor  for  an  hour,  Quimby  returned 
and  said  he  had  "got  the  lady  up  from  her  bed,  and  that  she 
walked,  and  three  persons  were  present  in  the  room  who  wit- 
nessed it.  Upon  writing  Mr.  Whitney,  it  was  found  that  he 
and  two  friends,  who  had  accompanied  him  home  from 
meeting  were  present  at  that  time,  and  saw  her  walk."  This 
again  shows  the  clarity  of  Quimby's  perception  at  a  distance, 
also  the  fact  that  what  he  gave  as  facts  could  be  verified. 

A  writer  in  another  Portland  paper,  name  and  date  not 
given  in  the  scrap-book,  after  pointing  out  the  usual  mis- 
conceptions gathering  around  Quimby's  name  and  declaring 
that  Quimby  is  "always  conscious  of  what  he  says  and  does," 
adds  that]     "He  takes  as  a  starting-point  that  disease  was 

iThis  caae  shows  the  clearness  with  which  Quimby  discerned  a 
patient's  condition  at  a  distance,  also  his  skill  in  telling  how  long 
his  absent  work  would  take  before  the  patient  would  be  up  and  about. 


106  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

never  created  by  God,  but  has  been  made  by  the  false  opinions 
which  have  been  given  and  believed  by  man,  and  he  contends 
that  disease  can  be  cured  by  simply  explaining  to  the  patient 
wherein  he  has  been  deceived.  ...  He  says  that  if  he  cures 
at  all  he  knows  how  he  does  it,  and  that  all  the  power  he 
exerts  is  simply  in  what  he  says  to  the  patient,  while  sitting 
with  him.  [This  of  course  involved  the  silent  realization 
known  as  a  treatment.]  .  .  .  Tlie  Doctor  also  contends  that 
if  he  can  cure  an  individual  case  ...  he  can  produce  the 
same  effect  by  addressing  himself  to  many  at  the  same  time. 
He  has  [the  intention]  of  publishing  his  ideas  at  some  future 
time,  and  also  the  idea  of  treating  disease  publicly,  when  he 
feels  that  the  people  are  ready. 

[It  will  be  noticed  that  the  writers  in  the  above  excerpts  from 
the  press  uniformly  speak  of  the  fact  that  Dr.  Quimby  prac- 
tised according  to  a  "new  principle,"  not  by  giving  medicine  or 
by  making  any  material  applications,  and  not  by  the  use  of 
mesmerism  or  spiritism.  These  excerpts  have  not  been 
selected  and  published  here  because  they  are  favorable,  but 
because  they  are  frank  statements  of  Dr.  Quimby's  practice 
as  it  impressed  contemporary  observers.  The  newspaper  ex- 
cerpt which  shows  the  least  understanding  of  Quimb/s 
practice  is  the  following  from  the  Bangor  Jeffersonian,  1856. 
This  excerpt  was  republished  in  "The  Philosophy  of  P.  P. 
Quimby,"  1895.  When  the  writer  quoted  below  uses  the 
term  "animal  spirit,"  he  is  using  his  own  term,  not  Quimby's, 
for  this  term  was  not  employed  by  Dr.  Quimby.  What 
Quimby  taught  was  that  the  false  ideas  and  mental  imagery 
causing  the  disease  were  directly  impressed  on  the  plastic 
substance  of  the  mind,  which  included  what  we  now  call  the 
subconscious.  Quimby  did  indeed  find  the  soul,  (not  the 
"animal  spirit,")  partly  disconnected  from  the  body  in 
certain  extreme  cases,  when  the  patient  lay  at  the  point  of 
death,  and  he  conversed  with  the  soul,  or,  as  he  says  in  most 
of  his  writings,  "the  scientific  man."  The  statement  quoted 
below  shows  that  it  was  difficult  for  some  observers  to  under- 
stand what  Quimby  meant.] 

A  gentleman  of  Belfast,  P.  P.  Quimby,  who  was  remark- 
ably successful  as  an  experimenter  in  mesmerism  some  sixteen 
years  ago,  and  has  continued  his  investigations  in  psychology, 
has  discovered,  and  in  his  daily  practice  carries  out,  a  new 
principle  in  the  treatment  of  disease.  .  .  .     His  theory  is 


CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY  107 

that  the  mind  gives  immediate  form  to  the  animal  spirit, 
and  that  the  animal  spirit  gives  form  to  the  body.  His  first 
course  in  the  treatment  of  a  patient  is  to  sit  down  beside 
him  and  put  himself  en  rapport  with  him,  w^hich  he  does 
without  producing  the  mesmeric  sleep.  He  says  that  in  every 
disease  the  animal  spirit  or  spiritual  form  is  somewhat  dis- 
connected from  the  body,  and  that  when  he  comes  en  rapport 
with  a  patient,  he  sees  that  spirit  form  standing  beside  the 
body ;  that  it  imparts  to  him  ail  its  grief,  and  the  cause  of  it, 
which  may  have  been  mental  trouble,  or  a  shock  to  the  body, 
or  over-fatigue,  excessive  cold  or  heat,  etc.  This  impresses 
the  mind  with  anxiety,  and  the  mind  reacting  upon  the  body, 
produces  disease.  .  .  .  With  this  spirit  form  Dr.  Quimby 
converses,  and  endeavors  to  win  it  away  from  its  grief,  and 
when  he  has  succeeded  in  doing  so,  it  disappears,  and 
reunites  with  the  body.  In  a  short  time  the  spirit  again 
appears,  exhibiting  some  new  phase  of  trouble. 

[The  following  is  one  of  the  last  newspaper  references  to 
Dr.  Quimby  and  his  work  in  Portland,  after  he  had  an- 
nounced his  intention  of  retiring  from  his  practice  there, 
that  he  might  revise  his  writings  for  publication.  It  was 
written  by  a  former  patient.] 

It  is  with  feelings  of  surprise  and  regret  that  many  of 
your  readers  receive  the  announcement,  given  in  your  advertis- 
ing columns,  that  Dr.  P.  P.  Quimby  has  determined  to  leave 
Portland.  The  Doctor  has  been  in  this  city  for  nearly 
seven  years,  and  by  his  unobtrusive  manners  and  sincerity 
of  practice  has  won  the  respect  of  all  who  know  him.  To 
those  especially  who  have  been  fortunate  enough  to  rccieve 
benefit  at  his  hands — and  they  are  many — his  departure 
will  be  viewed  as  a  public  loss.  That  he  has  manifested 
wonderful  power  in  healing  the  sick  among  us,  no  well- 
informed  and  unprejudiced  person  can  deny.  Indeed,  for 
more  than  twenty  years  the  Doctor  has  devoted  himself 
to  this  one  object,  viz.,  to  cure  the  sick,  and  to  discover 
through  his  practice  the  origin  and  nature  of  disease.  By 
a  method  entirely  novel,  and  at  first  sight  quite  unintelligible, 
he  has  been  slowly  developing  what  he  calls  the  "Science 
of  Health;"  that  is,  as  he  defines  it,  a  science  founded  on 
principles  that  can  be  taught  and  practised,  like  that  of 
mathematics,  and  not  on  opinion  or  experiments  of  any  kind 
whatsoever. 


108  CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

Hitherto  he  has  confined  his  efforts  to  individual  cases 
only,  seeking  to  discover  in  them  what  disease  is,  how  it 
arises,  and  whether  it  may  not,  with  the  progress  of  truth, 
be  entirely  eradicated.  The  results  of  his  practice  have 
been  such  as  to  convince  him  that  disease,  that  great  enemy 
to  our  happiness,  may  be  destroyed,  and  that,  too,  on  grounds 
and  by  a  method  purely  rational ;  and  he  goes  from  us  not  to 
abandon  the  cause,  we  are  rejoiced  to  learn,  but  to  enter  a 
broader  field  of  usefulness,  wherein  he  hopes  not  only  to 
cure,  but  as  far  as  he  can,  to  prevent  disease. 

The  path  he  treads  is  a  new  one  and  full  of  diflBculties; 
but  with  the  evidence  he  has  already  given,  in  numberless 
instances,  of  his  extraordinary  ability  in  detecting  the  hidden 
sources  of  suffering,  we  are  led  to  hope  he  may  yet  accom- 
plish something  for  the  permanent  good  of  mankind.  An  ob- 
ject so  pure,  and  a  method  so  unselfish,  must,  when  understood, 
claim  the  favorable  attention  of  all.     We  bid  him  God  speed. 


IX 

LETTERS    FROM    PATIENTS 

North  Vassalboro,  May,  36th,  1850. 
Dr.  P.  P.  Quimhy, 

Dear  Sir  :  I  shall  address  you  as  the  good  Samaritan  who 
came  along  and  took  me  by  the  hand  and  opened  my  imder- 
standing,  and  took  my  disease  from  me  in  so  remarkable 
a  manner  that  I  can  say,  Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord 
for  raising  up  such  a  servant  as  you  are.  It  seems  to  me 
as  though  you  took  my  disease,  for  it  has  never  returned. 
But  still  I  have  many  bad  feelings  to  contend  with,  even  to 
wrestling  all  day  to  the  going  down  of  the  sun.  I  am  still 
able  to  come  out  victorious  over  all  bad  feelings,  for  my 
health  has  been  improving  ever  since  you  came  to  our  house. 
I  am  now  ten  times  as  well  as  any  living  man  could  have  sup- 
posed. I  am  able  to  walk  over  a  mile  a  day  without  much 
inconvenience.  [I  have]  only  to  think  for  a  moment  of  the 
good  Samaritan  taking  me  by  the  hand  and  putting  me  on  the 
road  to  health.  .  .  .  Only  to  think  of  my  being  almost  four 
years  a  bed-keeper  and  now  so  well!  Why,  it  is  nothing 
short  of  a  miracle.  You  can  imagine  how  I  am  enjoying 
everything,  sun,  moon,  earth,  every  living  thing,  never 
looked  so  grand,  so  beautiful  or  sublime.  .  .  . 

Your  fame  is  still  sounding  as  on  the  wings  of  the  wind. 
Many  questioners  are  asking  about  you.  ...  I  am  saying  it 
is  the  only  true  way  whereby  man  can  be  healed.  I  am  daily 
preaching  your  doctrines  to  the  children  of  men.  ...  I 
hope  by  strict  attention  to  your  rules  to  remain  well.  [The 
letter  concludes  with  references  to  sick  people  in  the  neighbor- 
hood who  need  Quimby's  treatment.  The  writer  de- 
scjribes  the  maladies  he  labored  under  for  years  and  the 
d'aficulties  he  encountered  in  travelling  about  and  overworking. 
His  statements  indicate  that  he  is  a  man  well  along  in  years, 
and  tbat  he  has  now  taken  a  new  start  in  life,  with  the 
realization  that  he  is  in  possession  of  an  intelligible  prin- 
ciple to  live  by. 

^  ^  109 


110  LETTERS  FROM  PATIENTS 

Quimby  early  began  the  practice  of  treating  silently  at 
a  distance.  The  following  extract  is  with  regard  to  a  woman 
who  was  clairvoyant  enough  to  see  Quimby  in  the  case  of  one 
of  his  mental  visits.] 

Last  Friday  evening,  Oct.  3rd,  between  7  and  10  o'clock, 
mother  and  a  niece  of  hers,  who  is  here  on  a  visit,  were  sitting 
together  talking,  and  this  lady  says  she  saw  you  standing 
by  mother,  about  to  lay  your  hand  on  her  head.  Just  at 
that  moment  mother  left  the  room,  before  her  friend  had 
told  her  what  she  saw,  so  your  visit  was  interrupted.  What 
was  quite  strange  was  that  this  lady  described  some  of 
your  characteristics,  in  looks  and  appearance,  very  accurately, 
although  you  have  never  been  described  to  her.  Mother 
wishes  to  know  if  you  were  really  here  in  spirit  at  that  time. 

[Fortunately,  a  letter  was  preserved  in  which  Quimby, 
under  date  of  Oct.  3rd,  wrote  to  the  patient  in  question 
that  he  would  visit  her  on  that  day,  the  day  he  was  seen  by 
the  stranger.  This  letter  was  not  sent  and  the  patient 
did  not  therefore  know  that  Mr.  Quimby  expected  to  visit 
her  in  spirit  at  that  time.  But  it  is  evidence  that  the  visit 
was  real  on  Quimby's  part,  and  that  it  coincided  with  the 
time  his  presence  was  perceived  by  the  stranger.  In  a  letter 
written  five  days  later,  responding  to  the  above,  Quimby  makes 
another  appointment,  adding,  "If  that  lady  is  still  with 
you,  I  will  try  to  make  myself  appear  to  her  eyes  next 
Sunday,  between  7  and  8  o'clock."  This  was  in  the  days 
when  it  was  still  important  to  prove  beyond  all  doubt  that 
a  person's  presence  could  actually  be  perceived  in  this  way, 
at  an  appointed  time.  Some  would  regard  the  instance  in 
which  Quimby  was  seen  by  a  stranger  without  prearrange- 
ment  as  more  significant  than  in  the  case  of  his  plan  to 
make  himself  "seen"  at  an  appointed  time. 

The  impression  produced  by  some  of  Quimby's  more  re- 
markable cures  is  indicated  by  a  letter  dated,  Exeter,  F^b, 
18,  1858,  in  which  the  writer,  Da\ad  Barker,  speaks  of  ^le 
case  of  a  Mrs.  Crane,  who  is  described  as  "perfectly  h?,'r^'y 
and  free  from  all  pain  and  care."  The  writer  goes  oi'  j 
say  that  the  house  is  thronged  by  people  anxious  to 
witness  a  miracle,  for  a  greater  miracle  was  never  performed 
since  Christ  raised  Lazarus."  A  few  days  later,  writing 
to  Dr.   Quimby,  Mr.   Barker  says:] 


LETTERS  FROM  PATIENTS  111 

Whether  by  accident  or  not,  you  performed  as  great  a 
miracle  in  my  mother's  case  as  in  Mrs.  Crane's.  You  will 
remember  stopping  there  with  my  brother  two  weeks  ago 
to-morrow  night  and  examining  her  ankle,  which  was  so  badly 
broken  eleven  years  ago.  She  has  only  stepped  on  her  toes 
fiince,  and  that  with  the  aid  of  crutches.  Her  foot  was 
nearly  straight  on  a  line  with  her  ankle.  Immediately 
after  you  left  she  found  that  the  contracted  cords  in  her  foot 
were  all  relaxed,  and  that  she  could  put  her  foot  square  upon 
the  floor  and  walk  well  without  the  aid  of  crutch  or  cane. 
She  was  at  my  house  to-day,  and  although  nearly  seventy 
years  old  she  convinced  me  that  you  had  given  her  the  use 
of  her  foot  by  dancing  a  regular  "pigeon's  wing."  The 
whole  country  is  crazy  to  have  you  visit  us  again. 

[Several  letters  were  written  to  substantiate  the  case  of 
Maria  Towne,  of  Lancaster,  N".  H.  The  first  is  from  her 
father  and  bears  the  date  of  March  18th,  I860:] 

My  daughter  was  attacked  with  lameness  and  unable  to 
walk,  nine  years  last  December.  The  physicians  called  it 
a  disease  of  the  hip,  and  treated  her  for  the  same.  She 
partially  recovered  in  six  months.  In  ten  or  twelve  months 
she  appeared  to  be  quite  firm.  Five  years  last  September 
she  had  another  attack  in  the  hips  and  limbs  that  has  given 
her  severe  pain  up  to  this  time,  and  baffled  the  skill  of  our 
physicians.  .  .  .  She  has  constantly  been  under  the  care  of 
the  best  medical  aid. 

Last  August  she  was  attacked  with  a  weakness  in  the 
eyes,  and  unable  to  see;  had  been  kept  in  a  dark  room 
since  the  twenty-fifth  of  August.  She  has  subsisted  for  the 
last  six  months  on  the  value  of  from  fotir  to  two  teacups 
full  of  milk  in  twentj'-four  hours.  She  has  not  walked 
any  for  the  last  five  and  a  half  years,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  steps  five  years  ago  this  winter. 

Through  the  solicitation  of  a  friend,  we  sent  for  Dr.  P.  P. 
Quimby  of  Portland,  who  came  to  her  Saturday  evening, 
March  17,  at  9  o'clock.  The  next  day  at  one  P.  M.,  she 
got  up  from  her  chair  alone  and  walked  ten  feet  without 
assistance.  She  can  now  bear  some  light  in  the  room,  and 
begins  to  see  quite  well.  She  walked  from  her  room  to  the 
dining-room  with  very  little  help  this  evening,  to  tea,  and 
ate  quite  a  hearty  meal  without  causing  her  any  pain. 


112  LETTERS  FROM  PATIENTS 

[The  second  letter,  signed  Harriet  F.  Towne,  is  apparently 
from  the  mother,  and  is  dated  March  21,  I860.] 

Dr.  Quimhy: 

Thinking  you  would  like  to  hear  from  Maria  by  this  time, 
I  hasten  to  inform  you  that  she  is  in  fine  spirits,  can  have 
a  little  more  light  in  the  room;  but  cannot  hold  her  eyes 
open  any  longer  than  when  you  were  here.  .  .  .  She  is  all 
courage  and  walks  a  little  every  day,  and  enjoys  her  food 
very  much.  Maria  wants  to  hear  from  you  soon.  Please 
write  if  that  lady  in  Wayne  walked  last  Monday,  and  if 
you  come  here  often.     Maria  imagines  you  do.^ 

[The  third  letter  is  from  the  father,  under  date  of  April  1, 
1860 :] 

Dr.  Quirnby, 

Dear  Sir:  Maria  gains  strength  a  little  every  day.  She 
has  gained  in  one  week  ending  last  Thursday  two  and  a  half 
pounds  in  weight.  She  walks  across  the  room  six  or  eight 
times  in  a  day  with  a  little  help.  Her  appetite  is  good.  Her 
eyes  grow  stronger,  she  can  have  considerable  light  in  the 
room.  .  .  .  There  are  several  here  that  are  anxious  for  you 
to  see  them.  One  man  that  is  very  much  troubled  with  the 
phthsic  wanted  me  to  ask  if  you  had  any  control  over  that 
disease.  .  .  . 

[Then  follows  a  letter  from  the  patient  herself  who,  after  a 
visit  to  Dr.  Quimby  in  Portland,  writes  concerning  the  one 
trouble  now  remaining,  her  eye-trouble,  which  she  says  is 
extremely  obstinate.  She  finds  that  the  eyes  are  better 
only  when  she  is  under  Quimby's  direct  influence.  Feeling 
entirely  dependent  upon  her  restorer  for  health  and  happi- 
ness, she  is  eager  for  more  help  from  him.  It  was  Quimby's 
endeavor  to  put  his  patients  in  possession  of  the  healing 
principle  so  that  they  would  not  depend  upon  the  "influence" 
they  felt  while  sitting  by  him  or  receiving  absent  help;  but 

1  The  "lady  in  Wayne"  was  one  whom  Quinjby  treated  absently 
while  in  Lancaster  attending  Miss  Towne.  Such  cases  were  interest- 
ing to  patients  as  well  as  to  onlookers,  because  they  gave  evidence 
of  the  great  healer's  power  to  make  himself  felt  at  a  distance,  and 
this  was  a  new  phenomenon  in  those  days. 


LETTERS  FROM  PATIENTS  113 

this  was  a  question  of  time,  especially  in  the  case  of  trouble 
"with  the  eyes. 

A  patient  who  had  been  restored  to  health  in  a  remarkably 
short  time  after  years  of  invalidism  in  which  she  had  been 
unable  to  w^lk,  writes  as  follows  after  returning  from 
Portland :] 

Hill,  N.  H.,  Oct.  27,  1860. 
My  dear  Doctor : 

How  I  do  want  to  see  you.  I  am  well  and  happy.  You 
can't  imagine  how  the  people  stare  at  me  here  at  the  Water 
Cure.  Dr.  Vail  thinks  he  will  come  and  see  you.  I  talk 
as  much  of  your  Science  to  him  as  I  know  how  to.  I  wish 
I  knew  more.  I  want  you  to*  prove  to  me  mind  is 
matter,  so  I  can  to  them.  .  .  .^  I  went  to  see  one  of  the 
old-school  doctors.  He  is  coming  to  see  you  and  see  if  he  can 
learn  your  way.  He  .  .  .  greatly  rejoices  with  me.  ...  I 
can't  make  the  religious  part  go.  I  can't  understand  it. 
It  doesn't  seem  to  suit  me.  I  go  to  church,  though  the 
preaching  does  not  always  suit  me,  to  prayer  meetings, 
and  I  pray  as  I  used  to.     What  do  you  think  of  me  ?  - 

My  uncle  and  brother,  doctors  in  Lowell,  were  so  anxious 
and  had  so  many  fears  for  me  that  I  had  to  get  out  on  the 
street  soon  as  I  could  and  go  off  on  a  walk  four  miles  long. 
I  went  just  as  fast  as  I  could,  some  of  the  time  running, 
until  all  the  fears  were  gone.  They  make  my  back  feel 
strangely  (the  fears),  and  I  can't  seem  to  sit  as  erect. 

I  will  send  all  I  can  to  you.  I  will  start  some  from  this 
vicinity.  I  am  a  great  sight  to  the  people.  ,  .  .  There  arc 
many  more  people  ready  to  receive  this  theory  than  I  had 
supposed.  My  uncle  and  brother  did  not  seem  to  get 
any  clue  to  it,  and  said  they  did  not  know  what  to  think 
of   it.    .    .    . 

It  does  seem  good  to  walk,  and  my  heart  is  full  of  gratitude 
to  you  and  God.  I  am  so  glad  I  went  to  see  you.  I  can't 
express  it. 

1  That  is,  prove  that  mind  is  susceptible  to  opinions,  leading  to 
changes  in  the  body,  as  Quimby  exphiins  in  his  writings. 

2  This  is  typical  of  people  who  tried  to  return  to  their  old  ways 
after  coming  in  touch  with  Quimby  and  sensing  his  religious  spirit. 
Quimby's  emphasis  was  on  good  works,  not  on  doctrine,  and  he 
directed  attention  to  the  Divine  presence  with  all  men  as  guid- 
ing Wisdom. 


114  LETTERS  FROM  PATIENTS 

[Nearly  a  year  later,  writing  from  Wilmington,  Ills,  this 
patient  expresses  the  thought  that  her  restorer  has  helped 
her  since  she  left  home,  although  she  has  had  little  to  meet 
save  homesickness.     She  says  in  part:] 

I  wish  you  would  take  away  that  longing  for  the  East, 
at  those  times  when  I  feel  I  would  give  all  to  see  Dr.  Quimby. 
I  try  to  think  you  are  not  far  away.  I  like  to  think  of  that 
place  by  you  which  is  mine.  I  laugh  over  the  "sittings"  I 
had  with  you,  don't  you?  when  I  think  how  dreadfully 
distressed  I  was  lest  you  were  wanting  to  cast  me  out  of  the 
way  to  give  room  for  new  friends.  How  funny  that  you 
should  know  how  I  felt  all  the  while.  How  you  can 
understand  the  feelings  hidden  within  others  are  entirely 
ignorant  of,  appears  to  me  quite  mysterious.  When  I  consider 
what  you  have  done  for  me  and  others,  and  that  you  are 
continually  doing  greater  and  greater  cures,  I  conclude 
I  cannot  tell  what  may  not  be  done,  and  that  you  possess 
a  knowledge  far  superior  to  any  other  person  I  have  known 
or  heard  of.  I  am  glad  I  ever  came  to  you,  almost  glad  I 
was  sick  to  need  your  assistance,  that  I  might  know  and 
feel  these  things.  When  one  is  raised  from  a  long  illness 
to  perfect  health,  as  it  were  instantly,  do  you  not  realize 
what  a  healthy  person  cannot?  Would  they  want  to  help 
feeling  glad,  and  that  the  man  who  did  such  a  splendid 
thing  for  them  was  the  nicest,  best  man  in  the  world? 

It  does  me  good  to  know  the  Science  is  being  appreciated, 
that  you  are  successful.  ...  I  want  to  know  if  a  knowl- 
edge of  mind  acting  on  mind  will  enable  one  to  control 
an  ungovernable  child  without  using  any  means  of  punish- 
ment, and  what  you  do  in  the  next  world  with  profane, 
drunken,  stealing,  murdering  men — people  commonly  sent 
into  eternal  punishment? 

I  wish  I  could  tell  you  how  I  feel.  But  it  is  the  same 
as  when  I  sat  with  you :  an  undefinable  longing  for  something. 

^[Another  letter  of  the  same  year  begins  by  raising  a  problem :] 

I  wonder  if  everything  that  occurs  through  life  that 
makes  me  sad  has  got  to  make  me  sick.  Can't  you  tell  me 
something  about  it,  and  give  me  some  good  fatherly  advice? 
Something   quite  unpleasant  has   occurred   since   I   was  in 


LETTERS  FROM  PATIENTS  115 

Chicago  that  gave  me  a  great  deal  of  trouble  night  and  day, 
and  I  find  myself  out  of  fix.  .  .  . 

Doctor,  I  often  get  your  picture  and  I  imagine  I  have 
regular  sittings  with  you.  They  do  me  good,  I  do  believe. 
But  the  picture  is  not  equal  to  the  live  man.  .  .  .  You  know 
the  gratitude  of  my  heart  better  than  I  can  express  it. 

[Other  letters  written  from  time  to  time  indicate  that 
the  cure  was  permanent,  although  there  are  slight  matters 
requiring  her  healer's  advice.  Writing  from  her  old  New  Eng- 
land home  four  years  after  she  was  cured,  Miss  X.  says  that 
everybody  remarks  how  strange  it  is  that  she  is  so  well.  She 
also  says :] 

I  have  never  lost  a  moment  from  sickness  since  I  have  been 
in  school,  nearly  two  years.  I:  walk  six  and  eight  miles  in  a 
day,  very  often.  ...  I  feel  so  thankful  I  am  well.  If  it  had 
not  been  for  you  I  would  have  been  in  my  grave  or  much 
worse  off  long  before  now.  I  cannot  tell  you.  Dr.  Quimby, 
how  much  I  think  of  you,  and  love  you  for  what  you  have 
done  for  me.  .  .  .  When  I  went  to  school  in  Chicago  my 
friends  said  in  less  than  three  months  I  should  be  sick.  I 
wrote  you  and  you  said  you  would  not  let  me,  and  I  have  not 
been.     Now  I  want  that  knee  of  mine  cured  up.  .  .  .^ 

[Another  series  of  letters,  dating  from  1860  to  December 
25,  1864,  begins  with  the  description  of  the  patient's  case, 
a  fibrous  tumor  about  to  be  operated  upon  and  other  conditions 
as  diagnosed  by  competent  physicians,  and  traces  the  results 
from  time  to  time,  as  the  patient  reports  her  progress.  She, 
too,  experiences  difficulty  in  avoiding  the  recurrence  of  old 
symptoms,  for  her  case  was  well  known,  the  doctors  are 
sceptical,  sometimes  angry,  and  she  must  maintain  her  faith 
against  opposition.  At  times  she  can  hardly  call  herself 
well,  and  so  writes  to  Dr.  Quimby  to  express  her  difficulties 
and  receive  his  advice  or  help.  Tlie  following  letter  is 
typical  of  those  written  to  express  gratitude :] 

1  These  letters  indicate  that  the  chief  difficulty  encountered  by 
former  patients  who  depended  solely  on  the  new  Science  was  in  avoid- 
ing old  fears  and  other  mental  associations  readily  called  up  when 
meeting  sceptical  friends. 


116  LETTERS  FROM  PATIENTS 

Plymouth,  Oct.  17th,  1858. 
Dr.  Quimhy, 

My  Preserver  and  Friend:  With  feelings  of  gratitude 
and  kind  respect,  I  will  write  you,  and  inform  you  that  I  am 
able  to  walk  as  well  as  ever  I  could,  a  pleasure  which  I 
could  not  have  enjoyed  had  it  not  been  through  your 
unceasing  and  untiring  care  and  treatment.  Words  will 
not  express  my  thankfulness  to  you,  kind  Dr.,  for  the 
pleasures  I  am  permitted  to  enjoy.  When  I  contemplate 
my  past  helplessness,  and  know  that  to  you  I  am  indebted 
for  all  I  do  now  enjoy,  my  heart  is  ready  to  burst  in 
gratefulness. 

I  continue  to  improve  in  walking  day  by  day,  as  you  told 
me  [I  would],  and  now  I  can  run  up  and  down  stairs 
(not  as  fast  as  you  can,  because  you  are  so  spry)  but  as  well 
as  most  any  one  else.  My  friends  receive  me  with  wonder 
depicted  upon  their  countenances,  I  assure  you,  to  see  me 
walking  all  by  myself,  was  a  joy  to  them  indescribable,  and 
believe  me  their  whole  tribute  of  praise  is  tendered  to  you. 

With  all  love  and  respect,  I  remain. 

Your  young  friend,  E.  C. 


LETTERS   TO   PATIENTS 

Portland,  Feb.  9th,  1860. 
To  a  Patient  in  Hill,  N.  H. 

Your  letter  apprised  me  of  your  situation  and  I  went  to 
see  [absent  healing]  if  I  could  affect  you.  I  am  still  trying 
to  do  so,  but  do  not  know  as  I  can  without  sitting  down 
and  talking  with  you  as  I  am  at  present.  So  I  will  sit  by 
you  a  short  time  and  relieve  the  pain  in  your  stomach  and 
carry  it  off.  You  can  sit  down,  when  you  receive  this 
letter,  and  listen  to  my  story  and  I  think  you  will  feel 
better.  Sit  up  straight.  I  am  now  rubbing  the  back  part 
of  your  head  and  round  the  roots  of  your  nose.  I  do  not 
know  as  you  feel  my  hand  .  .  .  but  it  will  make  you  feel  bet- 
ter. When  you  read  this,  I  shall  be  with  you:  and  do  as  I 
write.  I  am  in  this  letter,  so  remember  and  look  at  me,  and 
see  if  I  do  not  mean  just  as  I  say.  I  will  now  leave  you  and 
attend  to  some  others  that  are  waiting,  so  "Good  evening." 
Let  me  know  how  you  get  along.  If  I  do  not  write,  I  may 
have  time  to  call  for  that  does  not  require  so  much  time.^ 

P.  P.  Q. 

Portland,  Feb.  9th,  1861. 
To  Mr.  S. 

Your  wife's  letter  was  received,  and  I  was  glad  to  learn 
you  were  all  so  much  better.  But  your  wife  says  you  still 
cough :  this  is  necessary  for  your  cure,  for  you  have  no  other 
way  to  get  rid  of  that  heat  in  the  head  called  catarrh.  Now, 
this  heat  seems  to  be  a  mystery  to  every  one:  everybody 
acknowledges  it  and  tries  to  account  for  it.  Some  call  it 
nervous,  but  when  asked  to  explain  that  they  fly  to  some  other 
error. 

1  This  letter  shows  what  intimate  connection  Dr.  Quimby  estab- 
lished mentally  with  patients  whom  he  treated  absently.  The  refer- 
ence to  rubbing  the  head  was  to  show  that  the  absent  help  applied 
directly  where  needed.     This  tended  to  strengthen  faith. 

117 


118  LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS 

You  know  I  told  you  that  mind  was  spiritual  matter. 
In  order  to  illustrate  my  meaning  so  you  will  understand 
it,  I  will  make  use  of  an  illustration  that  Jesus  used.  He  said, 
when  the  skies  are  red,  you  know  it  will  be  fair  weather. 
Now  thought  is  something  and  this  acts  in  space.  For 
instance,  the  body  is  nothing  but  a  dense  shadow,  condensed 
into  what  is  called  matter,  or  ignorance  of  God  or  Wisdom. 
God  or  Wisdom  is  all  light.  Your  identity  [consciousness] 
acta  in  these  two  elements,  light  and  darkness,  so  that  all 
impressions  are  [subconsciously]  made  in  this  darkness  or 
ignorance,  and  as  the  light  springs  up  the  darkness  disappears. 
One  of  these  elements  is  governed  by  Wisdom,  the  other  by 
error,  and  as  all  belief  is  in  this  world  of  darkness,  the  truth 
comes  in  and  explains  the  error.  This  rarifies  the  darkness 
and  the  light  takes  its  place.  Now  as  this  darkness  is  all 
the  time  varying,  like  the  clouds,  it  is  necessary  that  man 
should  be  posted  about  it  as  he  would  about  the  weather.  For 
our  happiness  in  this  world  depends  a  great  deal  on  the 
weather.  For  the  wisdom  of  man  has  got  so  far  from  the 
truth  that  even  the  weather  is  our  enemy,  so  that  we  step 
out  as  though  we  were  liable  to  be  caught  by  a  cold,  and  if 
we  are  then  comes  the  penalty.  All  this  error  arises  from 
ignorance.  So  to  keep  clear  of  error  is  to  know  who  he  is, 
how  he  gets  hold  of  us,  and  how  we  shall  know  when  he  is 
coming. 

To  make  you  understand  I  must  come  to  you  in  some  way 
in  ihe  form  of  a  belief.  So  I  will  tell  you  a  story  of  some 
one  who  died  of  bronchitis.  You  listen  or  eat  this  belief  or 
wisdom  as  you  would  eat  your  meals.  It  sets  rather  hard 
upon  y«ur  stomach ;  this  disturbs  the  error  or  your  body,  and 
a  cloud  appears  in  the  sky.  You  cannot  see  the  storm 
but  you  can  see  it  looks  dark.  In  this  cloud  or  belief  you 
prophesy  rain  or  a  storm.  So  in  your  belief  you  foresee 
evils.  The  elements  of  the  body  of  your  belief  are  shaken, 
the  earth  is  lit  up  by  the  fire  of  your  error,  the  heat  rises, 
the  heaven  or  mind  grows  dark;  the  heat  moves  like  the 
roaring  of  thunder,  the  lightning  of  hot  flashes  shoot  to 
all  parts  of  the  solar  system  of  your  belief.  At  last  the  winds 
or  chills  strike  the  earth  or  surface  of  the  body,  a  cold  clammy 
sensation  passes  over  you.  This  changes  the  heat  into  a  sort 
of  watery  substance,  which  works  its  way  to  the  channels, 
and  pours  to  the  head  and  stomach. 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  119 

Now  listen  and  you  will  hear  a  voice  in  the  clouds  of 
error  saying,  The  truth  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  pores 
and  let  nature  rid  itself  of  the  evil  I  loaded  you  down  with 
in  a  belief.  This  is  the  way  God  or  Wisdom  takes  to  get 
rid  of  a  false  belief :  the  belief  is  made  in  the  heavens  or  your 
mind,  it  then  becomes  more  and  more  condensed  till  it  takes 
the  form  of  matter.  Then  Wisdom  dissolves  it  and  it  passes 
through  the  pores,  and  the  effort  of  coughing  is  one  of 
Truth's  servants,  not  error's:  error  would  try  to  make  you 
look  upon  it  as  an  enemy.  Remember  it  is  for  your  good 
till  the  storm  is  over  or  the  error  is  destroyed.  So  hoping 
that  you  may  soon  rid  yourself  of  all  worldly  opinions 
and  stand  firm  in  the  Truth  that  will  set  you  free,  I  remain 
your  friend  and  protector  till  the  storm  is  over  and  the  waters 
of  your  belief  are  still. 

P.  P.  Q. 

Portland,  Feb.  8th,  1861. 
To  Miss  S.,  Hill,  N.  H. 

Your  letter  was  received  and  I  was  sorry  to  learn  that  you 
thought  you  took  cold.  Perhaps  you  did,  but  you  know  all 
of  my  patients  have  to  go  through  the  fiery  furnace  to 
cleanse  them  of  the  dross  of  "this  sinful  world,"  made  so 
by  the  opinions  of  the  blind  guides.  Eemember  that  passage 
where  it  says,  "Whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth." 
As  Truth  is  our  friend,  it  rids  us  of  our  errors,  and  if  we 
know  its  voice  we  should  not  fear,  but  receive  it  with  joy. 
For  although  it  may  seem  a  hard  master,  nevertheless  it  will 
work  out  for  you  a  more  perfect  health  and  happiness  than 
this  world  of  error  ever  could.  So  listen  to  it  and  I  will  try 
to  set  all  things  right. 

Of  course  you  get  very  tired,  and  this  would  cause  the  heat 
to  affect  the  surface  as  your  head  was  affected,  the  heat 
would  affect  the  fluids,  and  when  the  heat  came  in  contact 
with  the  cold  it  would  chill  the  surface.  This  change  you  call 
"a  cold."  But  the  same  would  come  about  in  another  way. 
Every  word  T  said  to  you  is  like  yeast.  This  went  into  your 
system  like  food  and  came  in  contact  with  the  food  of  your  old 
bread  or  belief.  jMine  was  like  a  purgative,  and  acted  like  an 
emetic  on  your  mind,  so  that  it  would  keep  up  a  war  with  your 
devils  [errors],  and  they  will  not  leave  a  person,  wlien  they 
have  so  good  a  liold  as  they  have  on  you,  without  making  some 


120  LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS 

resistance.  But  keep  up  good  courage  and  I  will  drive 
them  all  out  so  that  you  may  once  more  rejoice  in  that 
Truth  which  will  free  you  from  your  tormentors  or  disease. 

If  you  will  sit  down  and  read  this  letter,  take  a  tumbler  of 
water  and  think  of  what  I  say,  and  drink  and  swallow  now  and 
then,  I  will  make  you  sit  up  so  you  will  feel  better.  You 
must  be  [silent  and  receptive]  just  about  as  long  as  you 
used  to  be  in  Portland.  Try  this  every  night  about  nine 
o'clock.  This  is  the  time  I  shall  be  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S. 
You  know  that  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together 
in  the  name  of  this  Truth,  there  it  will  be  in  your  midst 
and  help  you.  So  try  it  and  see  if  it  does  help  you.  If 
you  do,  let  me  know. 

Hoping  this  letter  will  be  of  some  comfort  to  you  and  the 
rest,  I  remain  your  true  friend  and  protector  till  you  are 
well,  if  I  have  the  Science  to  cure  you.  So  I  leave  you 
for  the  present  and  attend  to  others.^ 

P.  P.  Q. 

Portland,  Feb.  8th,  1861. 
To  Mr.  S. 

In  answer  to  your  letter  I  will  try  to  explain  the  color 
you  speak  of  ...  so  that  you  will  forget  it.  Give  me  your 
attention  while  I  explain.  You  know  I  told  you  about 
your  stooping  over:  this  stooping  is  caused  by  excitement 
affecting  the  head.  This  contracts  the  stomach,  causes  an 
irritation,  sending  the  heat  to  the  head.  This  heat  excites 
the  glands  about  the  nose,  it  runs  down  the  throat  and  this 
is  all  there  is  about  it.  It  will  affect  you  sometimes  when  you 
are  a  little  excited,  and  you  will  take  it  for  a  cold. 

Remember  how  I  explained  to  you  about  standing  straight. 
Just  put  your  hands  on  your  hips,  then  bend  forward  and 
back. 

This  relaxes  the  muscles  around  the  waist  at  the  pit  of  the 
stomach.  This  takes  away  the  pressure  from  the  nerves  of 
the  stomach  and  allays  the  irritation.  Now  follow  this  and 
sit  down  and  I  will  work  upon  your  stomach  two  or  three 
times  in  three  or  four  days.     It  will  affect  your  bowels  and 

1  Despite  Dr.  Quimby's  great  confidence  in  the  Truth,  he  often 
wrote  and  spoke  in  this  way,  never  making  mere  promises  or  claims. 
The  use  of  the  txunbler  of  water  was  to  strengthen  faith  and  aid  con- 
c^ntrt^tion. 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  121 

help  your  color.  Tell  your  wife  to  sit  down  and  give  her 
attention  and  1  will  affect  her  in  the  same  way.  Please  take 
a  little  water  when  you  are  sitting,  say  about  9  o'clock  in 
the  evening.  .  .  .^ 

P.  P.  Q. 

Portland,  Feb.  9th,  1860. 
To  Miss  K.,  Eennehunk,  Me. 

Your  letter  of  the  5th  is  received.  I  am  surprised  that 
you  do  not  remember  that  all  my  patients  have  "a  cold"  as 
they  call  it,  when  the  belief  is  [of  this  character].  For 
instance,  if  you  are  told  you  have  "consumption,"  this 
belief  is  matter  under  the  direction  of  error,  and  as  it  is 
put  into  practice  it  changes  the  mind,  so  that  the  idea 
of  consumption  is  thrown  off  from  the  belief.  If  you  are 
excited  by  any  other  belief,  you  throw  off  all  the  misery 
that  follows  your  belief.  For  instance,  you  are  made  to  believe 
you  are  not  so  good  as  you  ought  to  be:  your  belief  puts 
restrictions  on  your  life,  and  as  it  is  a  burden  to  you, 
it  makes  you  throw  off  a  shadow  that  contains  the  punish- 
ment of  your  disobedience.  This  makes  you  another  char- 
acter, and  you  are  not  the  happy  child  of  Wisdom. 

This  was  your  belief  when  you  called  on  me.  As  I  struck 
at  the  roots  of  your  belief  with  the  axe  of  Truth,  everything 
having  a  tendency  to  make  you  unhappy  I  tried  to  destroy. 
So  in  the  destruction  there  must  be  a  change.  This  change 
must  be  like  its  father.  So  if  you  had  grief,  it  would 
produce  grief  for  the  present.  Finally  the  Truth  would 
dry  up  your  tears  and  you  would  rejoice  in  that  Truth 
that  sets  you  free. 

So  in  regard  to  the  "cold":  if  you  had  the  idea  of 
"consumption"  when  I  drove  that  enemy  of  man  out  of  your 
belief,  this  must  produce  a  like  cough,  but  it  is  all  for  the 
best.  Eemember  that  every  error  has  its  reaction,  but  an 
unravelling  of  error  leads  to  life  and  happiness,  while 
the  winding  it  up  leads  to  disease  and  misery. 

All  that  is  taking  place  in  your  case  is  just  what  I  antic- 

1  Although  the  absent  treatment  given  in  such  a  case  included 
much  more  than  this  letter  indicates,  Quimby,  realizing  the  im- 
portance of  expectant  attention,  mentioned  specific  results  that  might 
be  looked  for.  He  tried  to  make  a  patient  self-belpful  as  soon  as 
possible. 


122  LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS 

ipated.  So  it  is  all  right.  Keep  up  good  courage  and  all 
will  come  out  right.  Tell  Miss  F.  to  keep  good  courage: 
her  cure  is  certain.^ 

P.  P.  Q. 

PoRa>LAND,  March  3,  1861. 
To  Miss  T. 

Your  letter  of  the  first  was  received.  ...  I  will  now  give 
you  a  short  sitting  and  amuse  you  by  my  talk.  But  as  you 
seem  to  want  your  head  cured  I  will  rub  the  top  of  it,  and  while 
doing  this  I  will  tell  you  what  makes  it  feel  so  giddy.^ 
You  know  I  have  told  you,  you  think  too  much  on  religion 
or  what  is  called  religion.  This  makes  you  nervous,  for  it 
contains  a  belief,  which  contains  opinions  and  they  are 
matter,  i.  e.  they  can  be  changed.  If  opinions  were  not 
anything,  tliey  could  not  be  changed.  .  .  .  All  [so-called] 
religion  is  of  this  world  and  must  give  way  to  Science 
or  Truth;  for  truth  is  eternal  and  cannot  be  changed.  .  .  . 
So  you  see  according  to  the  religious  world  I  must  be  an  in- 
fidel. Suppose  I  am.  I  know  that  I  am  talking  to  you  now: 
does  the  Christian  believe  in  [this  talking  with  the  spirit]  ? 
No.     Here  is  where  we  differ. 

Eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  there  was  a  man  called  Jesus 
who,  the  Christian  says,  came  from  heaven  ...  to  tell  man 
that  if  he  would  conform  to  certain  rules  and  regulations  he 
could  go  to  heaven  wlien  he  died ;  but  if  he  refused  to  obey 
them  he  must  go  to  hell.  Now  of  course  the  people  could  not 
believe  it  merely  because  he  said  so  ...  so  it  was  necessary 
to  give  some  proof  that  he  came  from  God.  Now  what  proof 
was  required  by  the  religious  world  ?  It  must  be  some  miracle 
or  something  that  tiie  people  could  not  understand.  So  he 
cured  the  lame,  made  the  dumb  speak,  etc.  The  multitude 
was  his  judge  and  they  could  not  account  for  all  that  he  did : 
then  he  must  come  from  God.  Now  does  it  follow?  ...  I 
have  no  doubt  that  he  cured.     But  his  cures  were  no  proof 

1  The  regenerative  process  was  often  emphatic  in  the  case  of  Dr. 
Quimby's  patients  because  his  power  was  great,  its  action  im- 
mediate. In  another  letter  Dr.  Quimby  says,  "To  reverse  the  action 
is  not  a  very  easy  task,  but  if  you  will  wait  patiently  I  cannot 
help  thinking  it  will  take  place." 

2  This  shows  how  little  emphasis  Dr.  Quimby  himself  put  on 
rubbing  the  head:  he  could  do  it  as  well  absently!  That  is,  it 
was  merely  "suggestion." 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  123 

that  he  came  from  God,  any  more  than  mine  are,  nor  did  he 
believe  it.  .  .  .  Jesus  was  endowed  with  wisdom  from  the 
scientific  world  or  God,  not  of  this  world.  Nor  can  he  be 
explained  by  the  natural  man.  .  .  .  His  God  fills  all  space. 
His  wisdom  is  eternal  life,  with  no  death  about  it.  He  never 
intended  to  give  any  [theological]  construction  to  his  cures; 
[they]  were  for  the  benefit  and  happiness  of  man.  Men  were 
religious  from  superstition,  their  religion  was  made  of  opin- 
ions, and  as  these  were  the  light  of  the  mind  the  opinion  or 
light  contained  an  idea :  when  the  idea  is  lit  up,  it  throws  its 
rays  and  our  senses  [consciousness]  being  in  the  rays,  they 
are  affected  by  the  idea.  As  their  ideas  affected  the  people, 
they  were  like  burdens  grievous  to  be  borne;  so  the  people 
murmured.  .  .  . 

Jesus  knew  all  this.  No  man  was  able  to  break  the  seal  or 
unlock  the  secret  of  health.  .  .  .  Wisdom,  seeing  the  groans 
of  the  sick,  acted  upon  tiiis  man  Jesus  and  opened  his  eyes  to 
Truth.  Thus  the  heavens  were  opened  to  him.  He  saw  this 
Truth  or  Science  descend,  and  he  understood  it.  Then  came 
his  temptations :  if  he  would  listen  to  the  people  and  become 
king  they  would  all  receive  him.  This  he  would  not  do.  But 
to  become  a  teacher  of  the  poor  and  sick  would  be  very  unpop- 
ular. ...  He  chose  the  latter,  and  went  forth  teaching  and 
curing  all  sorts  of  diseases  in  the  name  of  this  Wisdom,  and 
calling  on  all  men  everywhere  to  repent,  believe,  and  be  saved 
from  the  priests  and  doctors  who  bound  burdens  on  the 
people.  .  .  . 

Hoping  this  will  settle  your  head  and  make  you  easy  on 
the  subject  of  another  world. 

P.  P.  Q. 

Portland,  March  3,  1861. 
To  Mrs.  D. 

In  answer  to  your  letter  I  will  say  that  you  know  I  told 
you  that  your  disease  was  in  your  mind.  Now  your  mind 
is  your  opinion,  and  your  opinion  is  that  you  have  scrofulous 
or  cancerous  humour.  .  .  .  This  opinion  shows  itself  in  your 
system.  ...  As  I  change  this  something  or  opinion,  it  must 
change  the  effect,  .  .  .  and  in  the  change  it  will  produce 
these  feelings,  because  it  is  in  the  fluids.  As  this  change 
goes  on  it  must  affect  your  head  and  also  your  side,  and  it 
ought  to  affect  your  stomach.    This  will  bring  on  a  phenome- 


124  LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS 

non  like  a  cold  .  .  .  this  carries  off  all  the  false  ideas  and  re- 
lieves your  system  of  that  bloat  and  heat.  Keep  up  your 
courage.     It  is  all  right.^ 

Portland,  March  3rd.  [1861], 
To  Mr.  R. 

When  your  letter  was  received  I  went  to  your  relief, 
but  I  cannot  say  that  I  affected  you.  But  now  I  will 
sit  down  and  try  to  affect  your  stomach  so  that  you  will  not 
want  to  smoke.  I  feel  .  .  .  that  if  you  were  aware  of 
the  evil  influence  of  the  enemy  that  is  prowling  around  you, 
enticing  you  to  smoke,  you  would  not  harbor  him  one 
moment;  but  hurl  him  from  you  as  you  would  a  viper  that 
would  sting  you  to  the  heart.  I  know  that  opinions  are 
something  and  they  are  our  friends  or  our  enemies.  So  the 
opinion  you  have  of  smoking  is  a  false  one  and  is  an  enemy  to 
you.  It  is  subtle  like  the  serpent  that  coils  around  you  like 
a  boa  constrictor  till  you  feel  its  grasp  around  your  chest, 
making  your  heart  palpitate  and  sending  the  heat  to  your 
head.  Then  you  will  struggle  to  rid  yourself  of  his  grasp, 
till  overpowered  you  become  paralyzed.  He  will  laugh  at 
your  foUy  when  your  fear  cometh.  Eemember  that  "love 
casteth  out  fear,"  and  fear  hath  torment.  Science  is  love. 
Fear  is  disease:  torment  is  your  reward.  So  watch  lest  he 
enter  your  house  while  you  are  asleep  and  bind  your  limbs, 
and  when  you  awake  find  yourself  bound  hand  and  foot.  So 
remember  what  I  say  to  you  as  a  friend.  P.  P.  Q. 

March  3rd,  1861. 
To  Miss  G. 

I  will  now  sit  down  and  put  ob  paper  what  I  did  at  the 
time  I  received  your  letter.  I  went  to  you  [in  spirit] 
at  that  time  and  have  visited  you  at  times  ever  since.  I  wish 
now  to  let  you  know  that  I  am  still  with  you,  sitting  by  you 
while  [you  are]  in  your  bed,  encouraging  you  to  keep  up  good 
spirits  and  all  will  go  right.  If  you  cough,  it  is  to  get  rid 
of  the  heat  that  has  gone  to  your  head.  P.  P.  Q. 

1  Although  Quimby  speaks  of  disease  as  "in  the  mind,"  he  speaks 
of  the  error  or  opinion  as  "something,"  and  mentions  the  bodily  ef- 
fects without  denying  that  such  changes  are  produced  in  the  physical 
system.  But  he  turns  the  thought  as  quickly  as  possible  to  the 
regenerative  changes  presently  to  come. 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  125 

March  10th,  1861. 
To  Miss  B. 

Owing  to  a  press  of  business  I  have  not  had  time  to  answer 
your  letter  until  now,  but  I  often  see  you  [in  spirit]  and 
talk  to  you  about  your  health.^  I  feel  as  though  I  had  ex- 
plained to  the  spiritual  or  scientific  man  the  cause  of  your 
trouble,  which  I  may  not  have  made  plain  in  my  letters  to  the 
natural  man.  But  it  may  sometimes  come  to  your  senses,  or 
you  may  see  me:  then  I  can  tell  you  what  I  cannot  put  on 
paper.  As  for  the  cause  afiFecting  you  now:  I  feel  as  though 
I  had  removed  the  cause,  and  the  effect  will  soon  cease,  and 
you  will  be  happy  and  enjoy  good  health.  I  wait  to  hear  that 
my  prophecies  have  fulfilled.  But  I  shall  keep  a  lookout 
for  your  health  till  I  hear  you  say  that  you  are  well. 

P.  P.  Q. 

March  10th,  1861. 
To  Miss  8. 

In  answering  your  letter  I  will  say  that  I  have  used  my 
best  efforts  to  help  you,  and  I  feel  as  though  I  had  [suc- 
ceeded]. Now  I  will  once  more  renew  my  promise  not 
to  forsake  you  in  your  trouble,  but  to  hold  you  in  the 
influence  of  this  great  Truth  that  is  like  the  ocean.  While 
your  bark  is  tossed  by  the  breeze  or  storms  of  error  and 
superstition,  while  the  skies  are  dark  with  error  and  you  are 
moved  by  your  cable  or  belief,  feeling  as  though  you  may  be 
blown  on  to  the  rocks  of  death,  you  may  look  to  that  Truth 
that  is  now  beating  against  the  errors  and  breaking  them  in 
pieces,  scattering  them  to  the  winds  and  even  piercing  the 
hardest  flinty  hearts,  grinding  them  into  pieces.  This  Truth 
shall  shine  like  the  sun  and  burn  up  all  these  errors  that 
affect  the  human  race. 

So  be  of  good  cheer  and  keep  up  your  courage,  and  you 
shall  see  me  coming  on  the  water  of  your  belief  and  saying 
to  the  waters  or  pain,  "Be  still,"  soothing  you  till  the  storm 
is  over.  Then  when  the  sun  or  Truth  shall  shine,  and  the 
pure  breeze  from  heaven  spring  up,  slip  your  cable  and  set 

1  Quimby  conversed  with  his  patients  in  the  same  friendly  way 
in  spirit  as  during  the  talks  which  followed  treatments  in  his'  office. 
He  addressed  the  inner  self,  speaking  what  to  him  was  the  direct 
truth,  in  contrast  with  the  patient's  consciousness  in  bondage  to 
opinion. 


126  LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS 

sail  for  the  port  of  health,  tliere  to  be  once  more  in  the  bosom 
of  your  friends.  Then  I  will  shake  hands  with  you  and  go 
exploring  for  some  other  bark  that  is  out  in  the  same  gale. 

P.   P.  QUIMBY. 

March  10th,  1861. 
To  Mrs.  W. 

I  have  not  been  able  to  answer  your  letter  until  now.  But 
I  have  often  .  .  .  talked  to  you.  How  much  you  have  been 
aware  of  it,  I  cannot  say.  But  I  now  see  you  and  your 
husband  sitting  looking  as  easy  as  possible.  I  shall  visit 
you  as  an  angel,  not  a  fallen  one,  but  one  of  mercy,  till  you 
are  able  to  guide  your  own  bark. 

It  is  true  your  husband  can  travel  the  briny  deep,  but  he 
has  never  entered  this  ocean  of  this  higher  state.  .  .  .  Our 
belief  makes  our  bodies  or  barks,  the  sea  is  troubled,  error  is 
the  rocks  and  quicksands  where  we  are  liable  to  be  driven  by 
the  cross-currents  while  the  wind  of  error  is  whistling  in  our 
ears.  .  .  .  Now  keep  a  good  lookout  and  you  will  see  the 
breakers  ahead.  So  brace  up  and  see  that  your  compass 
is  right.  Keep  all  snug  and  fast.  Eemember  what  I  told 
you  .  .  .  not  to  lose  control  of  yourself,  but  stand  on  deck 
and  give  your  orders,  not  in  a  whining  way,  but  bold  and 
earnest.  Then  your  crew  will  obey  your  orders.  You  will 
steer  clear  of  all  danger  and  land,  safe  in  the  port  of  health.^ 

P.  P.  QuiMBY. 

Portland,  March  19th,  1861. 
To  Mr.  A. 

Your  change  of  mind  when  you  got  your  religion  was  the 
effect  of  error,  not  of  Truth.  So  you  worship  you  know  not 
what.  But  I  worship  I  know  what,  and  "whom  you  ignorantly 
worship,  him  declare  I  unto  you.'\  .  .  This  same  Christ, 
whom  you  think  is  Jesus,  is  the  same  Christ  that  stands 
at  the  door  of  your  dwelling  or  belief,  knocking  to  come  in 
and  sit  down  with  the  child  of  Science  that  has  been  led 
astray  by  blind  guides  into  the  wilderness  of  darkness. 
Now  wake  from  your  sleep  and  see  if  your  wisdom  is  not  of 
this  world.  ...  To  be  born  again  is  to  unlearn  your  errors 
and  embrace  the  truth  of  Christ:  this  is  the  new  birth,  and 

1  Quimby  habitually  inculcated  the  affirmative  attitude  by  employ- 
ing the  terms  familiar  to  his  patients  according  to  their  occupation. 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  121 

it  cannot  be  learned  except  by  desire  for  the  truth,  that 
Wisdom  that  can  say  to  the  winds  of  error  and  superstition 
"Be  still !"  and  they  will  obey. 

It  is  not  a  very  easy  thing  to  forsake  every  established 
opinion  and  become  a  persecuted  man  for  this  Truth's  sake, 
for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  and  sick,  when  you  have  to  listen 
to  all  their  long  stories  without  getting  discouraged.  This 
cannot  be  done  in  a  day.  I  have  been  twenty  years  training 
myself  to  this  one  thing,  the  relief  of  the  sick.  A  constant 
drain  on  a  person's  feelings  for  the  sick  alters  him,  and  he 
becomes  identified  with  the  suffering  of  his  patients:  this  is 
the  work  of  time.  Every  person  must  become  affected  one 
way  or  the  other,  either  to  become  selfish  and  mean,  so  his 
selfish  acts  will  destroy  his  wisdom  ...  or  his  wisdom  will 
become  more  powerful.  .  .  . 

It  is  not  an  easy  thing  to  steer  the  ship  of  wisdom  between 
the  shores  of  poverty  and  the  rocks  of  selfishness.  If  he  is 
all  self,  the  sick  lose  that  sympathy  which  they  need  at  his 
hand.  If  he  is  all  sympathy,  he  ruins  his  health  and  becomes 
a  poor  outcast  on  a  charitable  world.  For  the  sick  can't  help 
him  and  the  rich  won't.  ^ 

[Whenever  in  his  letters  to  the  sick  Dr.  Quimby  speaks 
of  spiritism  we  find  him  sceptical  concerning  alleged  messages 
from  the  "dead."  In  one  letter  he  says,  "As  my  mode  of 
treating  disease  is  entirely  new  to  the  world,  the  spiritualists 
claim  me  as  a  medium.  I  deny  this,  but  believe  that  mind 
acts  on  mind,  and  that  it  is  the  living,  and  not  the  dead;  so 
here  is  where  we  differ."  He  then  goes  on  to  tell  about  a 
woman  who  was  greatly  misled  by  an  unscrupulous  medium. 
The  result  was  so  serious  that  the  woman  left  her  husband  in 
a  fit  of  jealousy,  and  when  Dr.  Quimby  was  called  had  tried 
to  take  her  own  life  by  cutting  her  throat.  After  hearing  all 
sides  of  the  case,  and  finding  the  woman  virtually  insane,  Dr. 
Quimby  sat  by  her  to  restore  her,  her  state  being  so  violent 
that  he  had  to  hold  her  by  main  force.  After  four  or  five 
hours  she  was  brought  to  her  senses  and  so  quieted  that  she 
fell  asleep.  Then  followed  Quimby's  explanations  to  both 
husband  and  wife,  showing  how  they  had  been  misled,  the 

1  The  resource,  Quimby  points  out  elsewhere,  is  found  through 
knowledge  that  this  Wisdom  is  from  God;  brings  strength,  guidance, 
freedom.  Contrast  Quimby's  spirit  as  disclosed  in  this  letter  with 
that  of  later  therapeutists  who  lacked  his  great  sympathy. 


128  LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS 

explanation  was  convincing  and  a  complete  reconciliation  fol- 
lowed. This  instance  shows  the  thoroughness  with  which 
Quimby  searched  matters  out  to  the  end.  He  endeavored  to 
give  a  complete  substitute  for  spiritism  by  showing  how  one 
mind  can  mislead  another. 

[Sometimes  Quimby  declined  to  take  cases  of  certain  types, 
inasmuch  as  he  was  working  alone  and  had  the  force  of 
public  opinion  against  him.  What  he  says  with  reference  to 
blindness  in  a  letter  to  an  inquirer  in  1861,  is  significant. 
He  says,  "I  should  not  recommend  any  one  like  your 
description  to  come  to  see  me,  for  I  have  no  faith  that  I  could 
cure  him.  If  a  man  is  simply  blind  I  have  no  chance  for  a 
quarrel,  for  we  both  agree  in  that  fact.  But  if  a  person  has 
any  sickness  which  he  wants  cured  and  is  partially  blind 
besides,  then  I  might  affect  his  blindness,  but  that  is  thrown 
in.  I  never  undertake  to  cure  the  well  and  if  a  man  is  blind 
and  is  satisfied  I  can't  find  anything  to  talk  about:  if  I 
undertake  to  tell  him  anything  he  says,  Oh !  I  am  all  right 
but  my  eyes.  So  he  is  spiritually  blind  and  cannot  see  that 
his  blindness  had  a  beginning  ...  I  refuse  to  take  such  cases 
till  my  popularity  is  such  that  my  opinion  is  of  some  force 
to  such  persons;  for  opinions  of  popular  quacks  are  law  and 
gospel  about  blindness,  and  so  long  as  the  blind  lead  the 
blind  they  will  both  fall  in  the  ditch." 

[When  asked  if  he  could  cure  any  one  using  intoxicating 
liquors,  he  answered  by  considering  all  matters  involved. 
Quimby  did  not  undertake  to  judge  a  man  simply  because  he 
drank.  For  he  wrote,  "I  judge  no  man.  Judgment  belongs 
to  God  or  Science,  and  that  judges  right,  for  it  contains  no 
opinion.  Giving  an  opinion  is  setting  up  a  standard  to 
judge  your  neighbor  by,  and  this  is  not  doing  as  you  would  be 
done  by."  He  goes  on  to  say  that  if  some  one  under  condem- 
natiori  as  a  criminal  who  has  taken  to  drink  comes  to  him,  he 
pleads  his  case  by  tracing  every  factor  to  the  foundation. 
Convincing  the  man  that  he  has  been  misled  by  his  enemies 
and  has  taken  to  drink  to  "drown  his  sorrows,"  Quimby  brings 
him  to  his  reason,  the  victim  of  persecution  abandons  his  old 
associates,  and  is  ready  to  change  his  habits.  But,  says 
Quim^by,  "if  he  likes  smoking  or  drinking,  he  is  satisfied  and 
wants  no^physican.  If  [he  is]  sick  and  I  find  that  liquor  is 
his  enemy,  then  it  is  my  duty  to  tell  him  so.     If  I  convince 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  129 

him,  he  has  no  more  diflBculty."  Quimb/s  caution  in  indul- 
ging in  any  opinion  of  his  own  is  indicated  in  a  letter,  dated 
April  10,  1861,  in  which  he  says:] 

An  opinion  involves  more  responsibility  than  I  am  willing 
to  take.  Moreover,  an  opinion  is  of  no  force  .  .  .  and  it 
might  do  a  great  deal  of  harm.  I  always  feel  as  though  dis- 
ease was  an  enemy  that  might  be  conquered  if  rightly  under- 
stood. But  if  you  let  your  enemy  know  your  thoughts,  you 
give  him  the  advantage.  Therefore  I  never  give  the  sick  any 
idea  that  should  make  them  believe  that  I  have  any  fears 
....  Making  health  the  fixed  object  in  my  mind,  I  never 
parley  nor  compromise.  Once  when  your  sister  remarked 
she  never  expected  to  be  perfectly  well,  I  replied  that  I 
never  compromised  with  disease,  and  as  she  had  been  robbed 
of  her  health  I  should  not  settle  the  case  except  on  condition 
of  the  return  of  her  health  and  happiness.  .  .  .  When  your 
sister  came  to  me  I  found  her  in  a  very  nervous  state  from 
the  fact  that  she  had  lost  her  sister  and  expected  soon 
to  follow  her.  This  made  her  very  nervous  and  stimulated 
her  to  that  degree  that  she  appeared  to  be  quite  strong.  As 
I  relieved  her  fears  she  became  more  quiet.  This  she  took 
for  weakness.  But  every  change  has  come  just  as  I  told 
her  it  would.  [Thus  Dr.  Quimby  gradually  brought  his 
patient  into  the  affirmative  attitude,  so  that  she  could  see 
for  herself.] 

[Again,  Quimby  wrote  as  if  conversing  with  his  patient 
and  meeting  objections  point  by  point,  while  still  carrying 
on  the  treatment.  Thus  he  writes  to  one  not  yet  convinced 
of  the  efficacy  of  absent  help:] 

I  will  now  sit  down  by  you  as  I  used  to,  for  I  see  I  am 
■with  you,  and  talk  to  you  a  little  about  your  weak  back. 
You  forgot  to  sit  upright  as  I  used  to  tell  you.  Perhaps  you 
cannot  see  how  I  can  be  sitting  by  you  in  your  house,  and 
at  the  same  time  be  in  Portland.  I  see  you  look  up  and 
open  your  eyes,  and  I  hear  you  say,  "No,  I  am  sure  I  cannot, 
and  I  do  not  believe  you  can  be  in  two  places  at  the  same 
time."  I  hear  you  think,  not  speak.  ...  If  you  [under- 
stood], you  would  not  doubt  that  I  am  now  talking  to 
you.  ...  I  have  faith  to  believe  that  I  can  make  you  be- 
lieve by  my  Wisdom.  So  I  shall  try  to  convince  you  that  al- 
though I  may  be  absent  in  the  idea  or  body,  yet  I  am  present 
with  you  in  the  mind.  .  .  ,     If  you  know  that  I  am  here,  [in 


130  LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS 

the  case  of  present  treatment]  you  attach  your  [thought]  to 
the  Christ  or  Truth  and  if  you  believe  this  you  are  saved 
from  the  uncertainty  of  seeing  me  in  the  body. 

[Writing  to  another  patient  not  quite  clear  on  this  point, 
Dr.  Quimby  states  that  when  he  receives  a  letter  he  always 
feels  as  though  he  were  spiritually  with  the  patient  giving 
advice.  Sometimes  he  seems  to  be  present  with  several 
patients  at  once,  because  so  many  have  come  to  him  and 
are  thinking  of  him.     So,  he  says :] 

I  m)ake  a  sort  of  general  visit,  as  I  used  to  when  you  were 
all  in  my  office.  But  if  I  feel  certain  of  one  I  make  that 
one  a  text  to  preach  from.  So  I  believe  if  you  can  make 
yourself  known  to  me  by  your  faith  I  can  feel  you.  Since 
I  commenced  writing  you  have  come  up  before  me  so  that  I 
now  recall  you  perfectly  well,  and  I  will  give  my  attention 
to  you. 

[Speaking  of  his  effort  to  convince  a  patient  of  "this 
great  Truth,''  Dr.  Quimby  writes:] 

When  I  say  this  great  Truth  I  mean  this  light  that 
lighteth  every  one  that  understands  it.  When  I  first  sit 
by  you,  my  desire  to  see  you  lights  up  my  mind  like  a  lamp. 
As  the  light  expands,  my  [spiritual]  senses  being  attached 
to  the  light,  each  particle  of  light  contains  all  the  elements 
of  the  whole.  So  when  the  light  is  strong  enough  to  see 
your  light  in  your  darkness  or  doubts,  then  I  come  in  harmony 
with  your  light,  and  dissipate  your  errors  and  bring  your  light 
out  of  your  darkness.  Then  I  try  to  associate  you 
with  ...  a  substance  that  is  separate  and  part  from  your 
.  .  .  senses. 

[In  still  another  letter  on  the  same  subject  Quimiby  says 
that  sometimes  he  cannot  see  a  patient  when  he  reads  the 
letter  asking  for  help,  because  the  "errors"  obscure  his 
sight.  The  spiritual  self  in  a  person  possesses  spiritual  light, 
independent  of  matter.  But  this  is  so  associated  with  matter 
in  the  average  person  that  it  becomes  attached  to  it.  In  its 
pure  operation  his  light  sees  through  matter  in  its  various 
combinations.  Common  education  has  placed  a  barrier  be- 
tween people.  Superior  intelligence  is  required  to  see  through 
this  obstacle.  To  communicate  with  the  spirit  in  person 
is  to  endeavor  to  reach  that  part  which  interiorly  sees 
and  hears  and  is  independent  of  time  and  space.  This  part 
of  ourself  is  not  known  by  the  natural  man,  in  his  dependence 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  131 

on  ordinary  sight  and  hearing.  It  is  imprisoned  by  "the 
error  of  common  belief."  This  belief  is  under  the  direction 
of  people  who  are  unaware  that  there  is  an  intelligence  inde- 
pendent of  the  body.  Quimby  shows  that  he  wishes  to  talk 
with  that  part  of  the  self  which  does  not  believe  in  the  adverse 
suggestions  to  which  one  becomes  subject  through  ignorance. 
If  he  can  make  himself  felt  apart  from  common  means  of 
communication,  this  experience  will  show  that  the  self  really 
possesses  these  higher  powers.  If  his  patient  hears  his  inner 
voice,  she  should  not  put  a  false  construction  upon  it  or 
become  frightened  and  close  the  inner  door.  For  he  must 
convince  her  that  her  supposed  friends  are  her  enemies, 
those  who  tell  her  "with  long  hypocritical  faces  and  whining 
tones,"  that  she  "looks  very  feeble,"  and  "not  so  well." 
"These  are  the  hypocrites  that  devour  widows'  houses.  For 
your  science  is  your  house,  and  as  you  are  all  alone  you  are 
a  widow  in  the  Science  of  Christ  or  Truth.  Now  Christ 
visited  the  widowed  and  fatherless  in  their  distress,  and 
told  his  disciples  to  do  the  same,  and  keep  them  pure  and 
unspotted  from  the  world  of  opinions.  While  you  read  this 
I  am  with  you  in  your  belief  or  prison,  till  I  shall  tear  it 
dowTQ  and  raise  you  up." 

[Again,  Quimby  admits  in  writing  to  a  man  concerning 
his  wife's  case  that  he  has  sometimes  judged  for  the  moment 
by  what  the  sick  said  about  themselves,  and  advised  them 
not  to  come;  but  on  sitting  with  such  patients  he  has  found 
their  trouble  amounted  to  a  "mere  nothing."  He  has  advised 
others  to  come,  on  the  basis  of  their  own  description,  and 
found  them  far  worse  than  he  expected.  This  has  led  him 
to  give  all  people  opportunity  to  take  the  chance  and  he 
will  then  do  the  best  he  can  for  them.  If  certain  of  curing 
one  whom  he  has  never  seen  he  would  at  once  advise  favor- 
ably. But  he  will  not  venture  to  give  a  mere  opinion.  If 
however  the  patient  herself  in  this  case  will  write  to  Quimby, 
giving  an  account  of  her  own  case,  he  will  devote  an  hour 
to  her,  and  so  write  that  she  may  follow  her  owti  leadings. 
In  this  way  Quimby  gave  inquirers  an  opportunity  to  look 
beneath  all  opinions. 

[It  is  noticeable  that  in  these  letters,  written  in  1860  and 
1861,  Quimby  shows  that  he  has  a  clear  conception  of  the 
"Science  of  Christ,"  or  "Christian  Science,"  a  term  which 
he  employed  later. 


i32  LEfTERS  TO  PATlENTlS 

[To  a  patient  who  tried  to  persuade  Quimby  to  promise 
that  he  would  heal  her,  he  writes:] 

You  say  in  your  letter  that  I  told  you  so  and  so,  and 
you  hold  me  to  what  I  said,  just  as  though  I  might  forget 
it.  .  .  .  Now  these  promises  are  the  very  things  I  am  trying 
to  get  rid  of .  .  .  .  When  my  patients  get  me  to  make  a  prom- 
ise, it  seems  to  them  as  if  that  were  all,  and  they  never  think 
they  have  anything  to  do  for  themselves.  This  is  so  common 
among  the  sick  that  I  have  become  very  cautious.  .  .  .  Now, 
do  not  bold  me  as  P.  P.  Q.  responsible  to  stop  your  cough, 
but  hold  the  sick  idea  responsible  for  the  cough.  I  must 
hold  you,  not  Mrs.  B.  but  the  sick  idea  to  its  promises.  .  .  . 
You  must  remember  that  Mrs.  B.  said  she  would  keep  up 
good  courage,  and  not  be  afraid  if  she  coughed  a  little.  If 
I  hear  of  your  complaining  about  the  cough,  I  shall  hold 
you  to  your  bargain.  You  see  you  are  bound  to  keep  the 
peace,  to  do  all  that  is  right  so  that  health  may  come,  and 
that  you  may  once  more  rejoice.  .  .  . 


XI 

LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS* 

Portland,  Dec.  7th,  1861. 
Miss  L. 

Your  letter  was  safely  received,  but  my  engagemfints  have 
been  such  that  I  have  not  had  time  to  give  my  attention  to 
your  case  until  now.  Although  we  have  lived  side  by  side  ever 
since  we  were  children,  we  were  ignorant  of  that  power  or 
Science  that  is  necessary  to  smooth  our  ruffled  path  as  we 
travel  along  the  road  to  Wisdom,  whence  no  child  of  Science 
returns  to  his  former  home  of  ignorance  and  superstition 
You  and  I  have  a  power  called  the  inner  man  by  the  ignorant, 
but  its  true  name  is  Wisdom  or  progression.  This  is  the 
child  of  God,  and  although  at  first  almost  without  an  identity 
this  little  wisdom  implanted  in  this  earthly  man  or  idea  is 
held  in  ignorance  till  some  higher  wisdom  frees  it  from  its 
prison. 

You  remember  when  your  little  pupils  would  stand  by 
your  side  looking  up  to  you  for  wisdom  to  satisfy  their 
desires.  You  with  your  power  like  Moses  went  before  them 
leading  them  through  the  sea  of  ignorance,  they  following 
your  light  as  a  pillar  of  fire,  and  in  the  clouds  of  darkness 
your  light  sprang  up.  As  you  traveled  along,  they  murmur- 
ing and  complaining,  you  like  Moses  fed  them  with  the 
bread  of  Science  and  eternal  life.  You  smote  the  rock  of 
wisdom  that  followed  them  and  they  drank  of  the  waters 
that  came  out  of  your  teaching  and  this  rock  or  Wisdom  was 
Christ.  You  have  a  Teacher  as  well  as  I  that  goes  before 
us  teaching  us  Science.  We  become  the  child  of  the  one  we 
obey.  You,  like  Moses,  held  up  the  serpent  of  ignorance 
before  your  little  pupils  and  all  who  looked  upon  your 
explanation  and  understood  were  healed  of  their  disease  or 
ignorance;  but  the  murmuring  of  your  pupils  would  make 
you  nervous  and  although  you,  like  Moses  on  Mount  Pisgah, 

1  These  letters  have  been  somewhat  condensed  to  avoid  repetitions. 

133 


134     LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS 

could  see  the  promised  land,  your  heart  failed  you  and  you 
sank  down  in  despair.  In  your  discontented  state  of  mind 
you  call,  as  Job  did,  but  no  answer  returns  from  your 
comforters,  your  doctors  or  spiritual  advisers,  who  being 
blind  guides  find  you  .  .  .  and  fall  upon  you  and  rob  you  of 
all  your  wisdom.  So  here  you  are  a  stranger  among  thieves, 
cast  into  prison  by  the  very  ones  you  have  always  taken  for 
your  leaders  on  the  road  to  health;  you  are  bound  with 
bands,  sick  and  with  no  hope  of  ever  being  set  at  liberty. 

Now  your  belief  is  like  a  bark  and  your  wisdom  attached 
to  it,  on  the  water  of  this  world,  for  water  is  an  emblem  of 
error,  so  that  the  medical  wisdom  or  ocean  is  where  your  bark 
seems  to  be  moored.  Here  you  are  tossed  to  and  fro,  some- 
times expecting  to  be  lost,  while  the  winds  of  spiritualism  are 
whistling  in  your  ear  till  they  shake  the  bark  to  which 
your  wisdom  is  attached.  So  the  heavens  are  dark  and  the 
light  of  wisdom  is  extinguished  in  the  opinions  or  waves 
of  medical  science. 

As  you  are  lying  tossing  to  and  fro  you  see  me  coming. 
When  I  say  "me"  I  mean  Science  in  P.  P.  Q.,  not  the  P.  P.  Q. 
that  you  used  to  see,  but  Wisdom  in  a  body,  not  of  flesh  and 
blood,  but  a  body  such  as  Wisdom  gives  it;  for  Wisdom 
gives  to  every  one  a  body  as  it  pleases  and  to  every  science 
its  own  body.  Your  body  or  bark  is  of  this  world  and  your 
wisdom  is  in  it,  and  I  have  come  through  your  wisdom 
to  get  you  clear  of  your  enemies.  So  you  may  look  out 
of  the  window  of  your  bark  while  reading  this  and  you  will 
see  me  coming  on  the  water  of  your  life  saying  to  spiritualism 
and  the  waves  of  the  medical  faculty.  "Be  still,  and  I  will 
come  on  board  of  your  bark,  [quiet]  your  fears  and  return 
you  once  more  to  your  own  house  whence  you  have  been 
decoyed  by  these  blind  guides.'' 

As  disease  is  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  man,  a  penalty 
is  attached  to  every  act  so  that  every  one  found  guilty 
must  be  punished  by  the  law.  As  you  are  accused  of  a 
great  many  transgressions  your  punishment  is  greater  than  you 
can  bear.  So  you  sink  under  your  trouble.  I  appear  in 
your  behalf  to  have  you  tried  by  the  laws  of  your  own  country, 
not  by  the  laws  of  these  barbarians.  So  I  will  read  over  the 
indictment  that  stands  against  you.  Here  it  is:  You  are 
accused  of  dyspepsia,  liver  complaint,  nervousness,  sleepless 
nights,   weak   stomach,   palpitation,   neuralgia,   rheumatism. 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS     135 

pains  through  your  back  and  hips,  lameness  and  soreness, 
want  of  action  in  the  stomach.  What  say  you  to  this 
indictment :  are  you  guilty  or  not  guilty  ?  You  say  "guilty." 
But  as  I  appear  in  your  behalf  I  deny  that  you  are  guilty 
of  the  evils  which  cause  this  punishment.  I  want  you 
to  have  a  fair  trail  before  the  judge  of  truth,  and  if  you 
have  disobeyed  any  law  of  God  or  Science  you  must  answer 
to  Science,  not  to  man.  I  will  call  on  the  hypocrite  or 
doctor  who  goes  around  devouring  widows'  houses,  and  for 
a  few  dollars  has  got  the  people  into  trouble  from  which  they 
cannot  get  out.     He  says  you  have  all  the  above  diseases. 

On  cross-examination  when  asked  how  he  knows,  his  answer 
is  [that]  you  told  him.  This  is  all  the  proof  that  he  or  any 
other  doctor  can  bring.  So  by  their  false  testimony  you  have 
been  condemned  for  believing  a  lie,  that  you  might  be  sick. 
Now  as  your  case  is  one  of  a  thousand  I  have,  I  have  only  to 
say  a  few  words  to  your  wisdom  as  judge.  All  disease  is 
only  the  effect  of  our  belief.  The  belief  is  of  man  and  as 
Science  sees  through  man's  belief  it  destroys  the  belief  and 
sets  the  soul  or  wisdom  free. 

I  will  now  sum  up  the  evidence.  You  have  listened  to  the 
opinions  of  the  doctors,  who  are  blind  guides  crying  peace, 
peace,  till  you  have  embraced  all  their  wisdom.  This  has 
produced  a  stagnation  in  your  system  and  what  their 
ignorance  has  not  done  the  spiritualists  have  tried  to  do.  So 
between  them  both  you  are  a  prisoner,  and  in  the  same  state 
as  the  people  were  in  the  days  of  Jesus  when  he  said  to  them, 
"Beware  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees;  for 
they  say  and  do  not,  they  bind  burdens  on  you  that  they 
cannot  explain.'^ 

This  keeps  you  nervous.  So  awake  from  your  letharg}'  and 
come  to  the  light  of  Wisdom,  that  will  teach  you  that  man's 
happiness  is  in  himself,  that  his  life  is  eternal,  this  life  is 
Wisdom  and  as  Wisdom  is  progression,  its  enemy  is  ignorance. 
So  seek  Wisdom  and  believe  no  man's  opinion,  for  these  opin- 
ions make  you  nervous.  This  causes  a  heat  to  go  to  your 
head  making  your  head  feel  heavy  and  producing  a  dullness 
over  your  eyes.  In  fact  [this  opinion]  causes  all  your  bad 
feelings. 

So  if  I  can  lift  vour  wisdom  above  the  error  or  mind  then 
you  will  be  free.  But  now  this  nervous  heat  is  all  through 


136     LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS 

you  and  comes  to  the  surface.  When  the  cold  strikes  you  it 
chills  you.  This  you  take  for  a  low  state  of  the  blood.  But 
it  is  a  stagnation  of  your  own  self,  not  able  to  explain  the 
phenomena  that  you  are  affected  by.  As  you  read  this  it  will 
excite  you  to  understand  it.  This  is  like  a  little  leaven  that 
is  put  into  your  bread  or  belief.  It  will  work  till  it  affects  the 
lump  and  causes  you  to  feel  as  though  you  had  a  very  bad 
cold.  Then  it  will  work  upon  your  system  and  affect  your 
bowels. 

Then  you  may  know  that  your  cure  is  at  hand.  So  do  not 
despair,  only  remember  the  signs  of  the  times  and  pray  that 
your  flight  may  not  be  in  the  night  nor  on  the  Sabbath  day 
when  you  are  at  meeting.  So  keep  on  the  lookout  and  I  think 
you  will  be  better.  If  so  let  me  know.  When  you  read  this 
letter  I  will  be  with  you  and  you  will  not  think  it  strange,  for 
it  will  produce  some  strange  sensations,  sometimes  joy  and 
sometimes  grief.  But  it  is  all  for  the  best.  So  keep  up  good 
courage  and  I  will  lead  you  through  the  dark  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death  and  land  you  safe  in  that  world  of  Science 
where  disease  never  comes. 

I  will  stop  at  this  time.  But  remember  as  long  as  you  read 
this  and  drink  in  these  words.  For  this  is  my  [wisdom]  and 
to  drink  it  is  to  understand.  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me, 
not  P.  P.  Q.,  but  Science,  till  your  health  comes.  I  will  leave 
you  now  and  come  again  and  lead  you  till  you  can  go  alone. 
If  you  will  see  fit  to  show  this  to  Julia  H.,  when  you  read  it 
we  shall  all  be  together.  You  know  what  this  Truth  says: 
that  when  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  Science,  Wis- 
dom will  be  there  and  bless  and  explain  to  them. 

P.  P.  Q. 

Portland,  December  16th,  1861. 
Miss  B: 

Yours  of  the  7th  is  received  containing  $2.00  as  a  fee 
for  my  services  on  yourself.  As  you  have  shown  a  spirit  of 
sympathy  that  I  never  have  received  before,  I  certainly  shall 
not  prove  myself  one  who  will  not  return  to  another  as  I 
would  that  another  should  do  to  me.  So  I  receive  your  two 
dollars  sent  in  hope  of  a  relief  and  return  your  money,  believ- 
ing it  came  from  one  who  is  as  ready  to  give  as  to  receive. 
I  believe  if  two  persons  agree  in  one  thing  sincerely,  independ- 
ent of  self,  it  will  be  granted. 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS     137 

I  will  now  use  my  skill  as  far  as  I  am  able  to  correct  your 
mind  in  regard  to  your  trouble.  The  heat  you  speak  of  is  not 
a  rush  of  blood  to  the  head  but  it  is  caused  by  a  sensation  on 
your  mind  like  some  trouble.  This  causes  a  weakness  at  times 
at  the  pit  of  your  stomach.  Tlie  heat  in  the  second  stomach 
causes  a  pressure  on  the  aorta  which  makes  the  heart  beat 
very  rapidly  at  times.  This  you  take  for  palpitation  and  it 
causes  a  flash  or  heat,  which  of  course  you  take  for  a  rush  of 
blood  to  the  head.  But  it  is  not  so ;  it  is  in  the  fluids.  As 
the  clouds  in  the  skies  change  when  the  wind  blows,  so  the 
fluids  under  the  skin  change  at  every  excitement.  The  skin 
being  transparent  reveals  the  color;  this  annoys  you  and  the 
false  idea  that  [the  cause]  is  the  blood  that  keeps  up  the  fire. 
Now  just  take  into  your  mind  the  [idea  of  the]  spine  as  a 
combined  lever  of  three  parts,  and  you  will  see  how  to  correct 
your  [thought]  so  as  to  ease  the  pressure.  ,  .  .  Now  im- 
agine yourself  sitting  in  a  chair  with  the  lower  lever  or  spine 
at  right  angles  with  your  limbs.  This  [will]  relieve  the 
stomach,  take  the  pressure  from  the  aorta  and  put  out  the 
fire  so  there  can  be  no  heat.  This  will  produce  a  change  in 
your  feelings  and  the  change  is  the  cure. 

If  you  will  sit  down  on  Sunday  evening  I  will  try  to 
straighten  you  up  so  as  to  relieve  that  feeling.  [When]  I 
succeed,  if  you  feel  that  I  am  entitled  to  anything  in  the  shape 
of  a  gift,  it  will  be  received  if  ever  so  trifling.  Your  sincerity 
towards  me  interests  my  sympathy  in  you,  and  if  I  relieve  you 
I  shall  be  very  glad.  You  have  taken  the  way  to  make  me 
try  my  best.  This  is  true  sympathy  to  sympathize  with  those 
who  make  the  first  sacrifice.  It  is  of  no  consequence  if  it  be 
one  cent  or  one  hundred :  the  sacrifice  is  all.  It  shows  your 
faith,  and  according  to  your  faith  so  shall  your  cure  be.  This 
being  a  new  experiment,  let  me  know  how  I  succeed  and  if  I 
change  your  mind,  the  change  is  the  cure.  I  send  you  one  of 
my  circulars  which  will  tell  you  more  of  my  treatment.  It 
is  easier  to  cure  than  to  explain  to  a  patient  at  a  distance. 
But  I  am  sure  of  the  principle  and  feel  confident  that  I  shall 
cure  at  a  distance.  For  distance  is  nothing  but  an  error  that 
truth  will  sometime  explode.  If  my  faith  and  your  hope 
mingle,  the  cure  will  be  the  result,  so  I  will  give  my  attention 
to  you  as  far  as  my  faith  goes  and  shall  like  to  hear  how  I 
succeed.  p.  p.  Quimbt. 


138     LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS 

Miss  B: 

Yours  of  the  7th  is  received  and  I  am  glad  to  learn  that 
I  have  relieved  3'our  mind  by  "my  power,"  as  you  call  it. 
But  you  misunderstand  my  power.  It  is  not  power  but  Wis- 
dom. If  you  knew  as  much  as  I  do  about  yourself  you  could 
feel  another's  feelings;  but  here  is  the  trouble.  What  people 
call '  'power"  I  call  Wisdom.  Now  if  my  wisdom  is  more  than 
yours  then  I  can  help  you,  but  this  I  must  prove  to  you,  and 
if  I  tell  you  about  yourself  w^hat  you  cannot  tell  me,  then  you 
mjust  acknowledge  that  my  wisdom  is  superior  to  yours  and 
become  a  pupil  instead  of  a  patient. 

I  will  now  sit  down  by  you  and  tell  your  feelings.  You  may 
give  your  attention  to  me  by  [mentally]  giving  me  your  hand. 
I  will  write  down  the  conversation  that  I  hold  with  you 
while  sitting  by  you.  You  have  a  sort  of  dizzy  feeling  in  your 
head  and  a  pain  in  the  back  part  of  the  neck.  This  affects  the 
front  part  of  the  head  causing  a  heaviness  over  the  eyes.  The 
lightness  about  the  head  causes  it  to  incline  forward,  bringing 
a  pressure  on  your  neck,  just  below  the  base  of  the  brain,  so 
that  you  often  find  yourself  throwing  your  head  up,  to  ease 
that  part  of  the  head.  This  makes  it  heavy  so  it  bears  on  the 
shoulders,  cramps  the  neck,  numbs  the  chest,  so  that  you 
give  way  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach  and  feel  as  though  you 
wanted  something  to  hold  you  up.  This  cramps  the  stomach, 
giving  you  a  "gone  feeling"  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach.  Now 
these  symptoms  taken  of  themselves  are  nothing.  But  you 
have  had  medical  advice,  or  have  got  from  some  one  else  an 
answer  to  all  these  feelings.  You  are  nervous.  You  think 
you  have  the  heart  complaint.  Your  blood  rushes  to  the 
head.  ...  [If]  all  these  symptoms  together  would  not  make 
your  face  red,  what  would  ? 

Listen  to  me  and  I  will  give  an  explanation  of  all  the  above 
feelings.  I  must  go  back  to  the  first  cause,  say  some  years 
ago.  I  will  not  undertake  to  tell  just  the  cause  but  I  will  give 
you  an  illustration.  Suppose  I  (the  natural  man)  were  sit- 
ting by  you,  and  we  were  alone.  If  I  should  go  and  fasten 
the  door,  and  go  towards  you  and  attempt  to  seize  hold  of 
you,  and  if  you  asked  me  what  I  intended  to  do  and  I  should 
say,  "keep  still,  or  I  will  blow  your  brains  out,"  you  would  see 
that  this  would  frighten  you.  I  think  your  heart  would  beat 
as  fast  as  it  ever  did.  This  explanation  I  do  not  say  is  true. 
For  I  suppose  a  case,   [but  a  shock  or]   start  contracts  the 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS     139 

stomach,  the  fright  or  excitement  [generates]  heat,  [and  the 
pressure]  sets  your  heart  beating,  and  throws  the  heat  to 
your  head,  this  heat  tries  to  escape  out  of  the  nose  causing  a 
tickling  in  your  nose  and  you  often  rub  it  because  it 
itches  and  feels  hot.  It  then  tries  to  escape  through  the  pas- 
sage to  the  ears  making  your  cheeks  red  and  burn  and  causes 
a  noise  in  your  ears  sometimes.  This  after  a  while  subsides, 
the  stomach  relaxes  and  the  heat  passes  down  from  the  stomach 
into  the  bowels.  .  .  . 

Xow  follow  the  directions  in  the  last  letter  and  relieve  the 
pressure  on  the  aorta.  This  will  check  the  nen-ous  heat  and 
relieve  the  excitement  and  then  the  heat  will  subside.  The 
color  is  in  the  surface  of  the  skin  and  has  nothing  to  do  with 
any  humor  or  disease :  it  is  nothing  but  excitement.  As  I 
told  you  in  my  last,  I  will  be  with  you  when  you  read  the 
letters  and  you  will  feel  a  warm  sensation  pass  over  you,  like 
a  breath.  This  will  open  the  pores  of  the  skin  and  the  heat 
will  escape. 

I  send  back  the  five  dollars  till  the  cure  is  performed.  I 
don't  like  to  be  outdone  in  generosity  and  I  am  willing  to 
risk  as  much  as  any  one  in  such  a  cause  as  this.  If  I  come 
off  conqueror  then  it  will  be  time  enough  for  you  to  offer  up 
a  sacrifice.  Till  then  if  I  accept  a  gift  it  is  without  an  equi- 
valent on  ray  part.  I  feel  as  certain  of  success  as  you  do,  so 
I  feel  as  though  I  run  no  risk.  All  I  look  for  is  the  cure. 
You  ask  if  I  give  any  medicine.  The  only  medicine  I  ever 
give  is  my  explanation  and  that  is  the  cure.  In  about  a  week 
let  me  know  how  the  medicine  works.  Hoping  to  hear  good 
news  when  next  I  hear  from  you,  I  remain, 

Your  friend, 

P.   P.   QUIMBY. 

Portland,  Me.,  Jan.  2nd,  1861. 
ToMr.H: 

In  response  to  your  letter  I  must  say,  that  it  is  out  of  my 
power  to  visit  your  place  in  person  at  this  time,  from  the 
fact  that  I  have  some  thirty  or  more  patients  here  on  my 
hands,  but  if  there  comes  a  slack  time  I  will  come  and  let 
you  know  beforehand  so  you  can  meet  me  in  Bangor. 

Now  a  word  or  two  to  your  wife.  I  will  try  my  best  while 
sitting  by  you  while  writing  this  letter  to  produce  an  effect  on 
your  stomach.     I  want  you  to  take  a  tumbler  of  pure  water 


110     LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS 

while  I  write  this  and  now  and  then  take  a  little.  I  am  with 
you  now  seeing  you.  Do  not  be  in  a  hurry  when  you  read  this, 
but  be  calm  and  you  will  in  a  short  time  feel  the  heat  start 
from  your  left  side  and  run  down  like  water;  then  your  head 
will  be  relieved  and  you  will  have  an  inclination  to  rise.  Be 
slow  in  your  movements  so  that  your  head  will  not  swim  round. 
I  will  take  you  by  the  hand  at  first  and  steady  you  till  you  can 
walk  alone.  Now  remember  what  I  say  to  you.  I  am  in  this 
letter  and  as  often  as  you  read  this  and  listen  to  it  you  listen 
to  me.  So  let  me  know  the  effect  one  week  from  now.  I  will 
be  with  you  every  time  you  read  this.  Take  about  one  half 
hour  to  devote  to  reading  and  listening  to  my  counsel  and  I 
assure  you  you  will  be  better.     Now  do  not  forget. 

Yours,  etc., 

P.  P.  Q. 

Portland,  Me.,  Dec.  30, 1860. 
To  Mr.  J: 

As  your  wife  is  about  leaving  for  her  home,  I  take  this 
way  of  expressing  my  ideas  of  the  trouble  she  is  laboring 
under,  thinking  you  would  like  my  opinion  of  her  case.  I 
think  her  friends  are  not  aware  of  her  true  state.  Hers  is 
one  of  a  very  peculiar  kind.  She  is  not  deaf  in  the  strict  sense 
of  the  word,  but  her  condition  has  been  brought  about  by 
trouble  of  long  standing.  When  I  say  "trouble"  I  do  not  con- 
fine it  to  any  neglect  on  the  part  of  her  friends,  but  trouble 
when  young  which  made  her  nervous.  This  caused  her  to 
become  low  spirited  till  it  has  changed  her  system  so  that  she  is 
not  the  same  person  she  was  twelve  years  ago.  I  have  given 
my  attention  to  her  general  health,  not  to  her  deafness;  for  I 
think  if  she  should  come  right  in  her  mental  or  physical  con- 
dition as  she  used  to  be,  she  would  be  well.  You  can  see  and 
judge  of  her  appearance  and  buoyancy  of  mind.  .  .  . 

P.  P.  QUIMBY. 

Portland,  Me.,  December  27th,  1860. 
To  Miss  G.  F : 

Your  letter  was  received,  and  now  I  sit  down  to  use  my 
power  to  affect  you.  I  will  commence  by  telling  you  to  sit 
upright  and  not  give  way  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach.  If  I 
felt  that  you  saw  me  as  plainly  while  I  am  talking  to  you 
as  I  see  you,  then  there  would  be  no  use  in  writing ;  for  you  are 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS     141 

as  plain  before  my  eyes  as  you  were  when  I  was  talking  to  the 
shadow  in  Portland.  For  the  shadow  came  with  the  substance, 
"and  that  which  I  am  talking  to  now  is  the  substance.  If  I 
make  an  impression  on  it,  it  may  throw  forth  a  shadow  of 
a  young  lady  upright  without  that  "gone  place"  at  the  pit  of 
the  stomach.  .  .  .  Remember  that  when  I  see  you  sitting  or 
standing  in  the  position  I  saw  you  in  at  Portland  I  shall  just 
straighten  you  up.  If  you  complain  of  the  back,  you  may  lay 
it  to  me  and  I  will  be  a  little  more  gentle.  You  may  expect 
me  once  in  a  while  in  the  evening.  So  keep  on  the  lookout. 
See  that  you  have  your  lamp  trimmed  and  burning,  so  that 
when  the  Truth  comes  it  shall  not  find  you  sleeping,  but 
up  straight,  ready  to  receive  the  bridegroom.  It  seems  that 
you  understand  this  as  I  tell  it  to  you.  But  for  fear  you 
will  not  explain  it  to  the  shadow,  or  natural  man,  I.  will  try 
to  make  you  understand  so  it  may  come  to  the  senses  of  the 
natural  man.  If  I  succeed,  let  my  natural  man  know  by  a 
letter.^ 

Yours,  etc., 

P.  P.  Q. 

To  Mrs.  A.C.B: 

In  answer  to  your  letter  I  will  say  that  it  is  impossible  to 
give  an  -opinion  of  a  case  till  I  know  something  about  it 
[apart  from]  my  natural  senses.  If  I  myself  cannot  take  an- 
other's feelings,  my  opinion  is  nothing.  When  I  sit  by  a 
patient  their  feelings  affect  me  and  the  sensation  I  receive 
from  the  mind  is  independent  of  the  senses,  for  they  [the 
senses]  do  not  know  that  they  communicate  any  intelligence 
to  me.  This  I  feel,  and  it  contains  the  cause  of  the  trouble, 
and  my  Wisdom  explains  the  trouble,  and  the  explanation  is 
the  cure.  You  must  trust  in  that  Wisdom  that  is  able  to 
unlock  any  error.  P.  P.  Q. 

January  11,  1861. 
To  Miss  0. 

Your  letter  to  Miss  W.  was  handed  to  me  for  perusal  to 
see  what  course  I  thought  best  to  take.  So  I  will  sit  down 
by  you  as  I  used. to  do  and  commence  operations.     Excitement 

1  This  letter  shows  how  emphatically  Quimby  directed  attention  to 
"the  scientific  man"  or  real  self,  the  self  that  already  possesses  the 
Truth  or  Science  implicitly. 


142     LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS 

contracts  the  stomach,  not  from  fright  but  from  being  over- 
joyed at  your  recovery.  .  .  .  The  food  digests  slowly  and  it 
will  make  you  feel  a  little  sluggish  at  times.  But  it  will  soon 
act  upon  your  system  and  relieve  you  of  your  trouble,  for  that 
is  only  nervous,  and  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  kidneys.  .  .  . 
I  will  repeat  the  same  till  you  are  all  right.  Eemember  that  I 
am  with  you  when  you  read  this  and  every  time  you  read  this 
you  will  feel  my  influence.  ...  P.  P.  Quimby. 

Portland,  January  25,  1861. 
To  Mrs.  Ware : 

By  the  request  of  E.  and  S.  I  sit  down  by  you  to  see  if  I 
can  amuse  you  by  my  explanation  of  disease.  You  know  I 
often  talk  to  persons  about  religion  and  you  often  look  as 
though  you  would  rather  have  me  talk  about  anything  else. 
Perhaps  it  would  be  better  if  you  knew  the  cause  of  every 
sensation,  but  you  would  not  want  a  physician. 

Now  you  will  want  me  to  tell  you  how  you  feel,  and  if  you 
will  give  me  your  attention  I  will  try  to  explain.  This  heavy 
feeling  that  you  have,  accompanied  with  a  desire  to  lie  down 
and  a  sort  of  indifference  how  things  go,  comes  from  a 
quiet  state  of  your  system  that  prevents  your  food  from  diges- 
ting as  readily  as  it  did.  But  it  will  act  upon  you  like  an 
emetic  or  cathartic.  Either  way  is  right.  So  give  no  care  to 
what  you  shall  eat  or  drink,  for  Wisdom  will  cause  all  things 
to  work  for  the  best.  If  you  want  to  eat,  consult  your  own 
feelings  and  take  no  one's  opinion.  Remember  that  He  who 
made  us  knows  our  wants  better  than  man.  So  keep  yourself 
quiet  and  I  will  reverse  the  action  from  your  head,  and  you 
will  feel  it  passing  out  of  your  stomach.  Then  do  not  forget 
to  sit  up  as  I  used  to  tell  you  and  remember  not  to  believe 
what  the  blind  guides  say.  They  will  come  to  you,  and  if 
your  throat  is  a  little  sore,  they  will  merely  ask  if  you  think 
this  sore  throat  is  the  diptheria,  looking  as  wise  as  though 
they  had  discovered  the  philosopher's  stone.  .  .  . 

Remember  what  I  tell  you  about  this  disease.  For  these 
hypocrites  or  blind  guides  are  working  in  the  minds  of  the 
people  like  the  demagogues  of  the  South.  I  do  not  say  that 
you  will  be  troubled  by  them.  But  I  have  kept  on  their  track 
for  twenty  years  and  have  not  the  slightest  confidence  in 
anything  they  say. 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS     143 

I  hear  you  now  for  the  first  time  asking  me  if  I  believe  in 
another  world.  Yes,  but  not  in  the  sense  of  the  clergy.  I  will 
try  to  explain  my  two  worlds.  You  live  in  Chicago  and  I  in 
Portland,  and  if  it  will  not  be  blasphemy  to  call  your  place 
heaven,  we  will  suppose  you  are  in  heaven  and  I  in  Portland. 
Now,  if  I  am  here  sitting  and  talking  with  you  I  must  leave 
the  earth  and  matter  and  come  to  you.  If  I  am  with  you, 
what  is  it  that  has  left  the  body?  It  cannot  be  matter  in  a 
visible  form,  yet  it  is  something.  Listen,  and  I  will  tell 
you. 

You  read  that  God  made  aU  living  things  that  had  life  out 
of  the  earth,  so  that  dead  matter  cannot  produce  living  life 
nor  anything  else.  As  all  matter  decomposes,  the  dust  or 
odor  that  arises  from  it  was  the  matter  that  [the  natural  man] 
is  formed  of.  As  the  child  is  of  living  matter,  not  wisdom, 
when  it  grows  to  a  certain  age  it  is  ready  to  receive  the  breath 
of  eternal  life.  The  child  was  not  eternal  life.  Eternal  life 
is  Wisdom  as  much  above  human  life  as  Science  is  above 
ignorance.  .  .  .  Eternal  life  is  Christ  or  Science,  this  teaches 
us  that  matter  is  a  mere  shadow  of  a  substance  which  the 
natural  man  never  saw  nor  can  see,  for  it  is  never  changed, 
is  the  same  today  and.  forever.  This  substance  is  the  essence 
of  Wisdom  and  is  in  every  living  form.  Like  a  seed  in  tlie 
earth,  it  grows  or  develops  in  matter,  and  is  as  much  under  the 
control  of  the  mother's  Wisdom  as  the  gold  which  is  dissolved 
and  held  in  solution  is  under  that  of  the  chemist.  If  the 
mother's  Wisdom  is  of  this  world,  the  spiritual  child  is  not 
under  her  earthly  care.  Nevertheless  it  is  held  in  the  bosom 
of  its  eternal  Wisdom  that  will  cherish  it  till  it  is  developed 
to  receive  the  science  of  Eternal  Wisdom.  Eternal  Wisdom 
and  eternal  life  are  not  the  same.  Eternal  Wisdom  cannot 
change  but  acts  on  eternal  life,  changes  its  form  and  identity. 
Eternal  Wisdom  teaches  us  tliat  all  matter  is  in  itself  a  shadow 
and  is  no  barrier.  Matter  is  dense  darkness.  Spirit  is  light. 
If  you  are  wise  your  body  or  wisdom  is  light,  and  just  as  you 
sink  into  error  you  become  dense  or  dark.  Therefore  let 
your  light  shine,  so  that  when  this  wind  comes  blowing 
round  in  the  form  of  an  opinion  you  may  know  it  is  merely 
the  noise  of  a  demagogue.  Believe  not,  -and  you  will  live 
and  flourish.  If  you  can  understand  this  you  have  the  basis 
of  my  behef. 

For  fear  I  have  not  made  my  two  worlds  clear  to  your 


144     LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS 

mind,  I  will  say  a  few  words  more.  The  two  worlds  may 
be  divided  in  this  way:  one  opinions,  the  other  Science. 
Opinions  are  matter  or  the  shadow  of  Science.  One  is 
limited  in  its  sphere,  and  the  other  has  no  limits.  One  can 
be  seen  by  the  natural  eyes:  the  other  is  an  endless  pro- 
gression. The  one  is  today,  and  tomorrow  is  not.  The 
other  is  an  endless  progression.  One  is  always  changing, 
the  other  is  always  progressing.  The  natural  man  never  will 
know  this  truth,  for  he  cannot  see  Wisdom  and  live ;  Wisdom 
is  the  natural  man's  death.  So  he  looks  upon  it  as  an  enemy, 
prays  to  it,  pays  tribute  to  it  as  though  Wisdom  were  a 
man.  He  often  uses  it  as  a  balance  to  weigh  his  ignorance 
in  but  never  to  weigh  the  difference  of  his  opinions. 
He  often  quotes  it,  talking  as  though  it  were  his  intimate 
friend,  while  he  to  Wisdom  is  only  known  as  a  servant  or  shad- 
ow, all  an  imitation.  Science  is  of  another  character.  Science 
rises  above  all  narrow  ideas.  He  who  is  scientific  in  regard 
to  health  and  happiness  is  his  own  law,  and  is  not  subject  to 
the  laws  of  man  except  as  he  is  deceived  or  ignorant.  No  one 
after  he  knows  a  scientific  fact  can  ignorantly  disobey  it.  So 
with  Science  the  punishment  is  in  the  act.  With  man's  laws 
it  is  different;  the  penalty  may  follow  the  act  or  come  after. 
With  Wisdom  the  laws  are  science.  To  know  Science  is  to 
know  Wisdom,  and  how  can  a  man  work  a  mathematical 
problem  intelligently  and  at  the  same  time  say  he  is  not  aware 
of  the  fact? 

If  we  know  the  true  meaning  of  every  word  or  thought 
we  should  know  what  will  follow.  So  a  person  cannot  scien- 
tifically act  amiss.  But  being  misled  by  pubhc  opinion,  we 
believe  a  lie  and  suffer. 

I  have  gone  so  far  that  I  have  reduced  certain  states  to 
their  causes  as  certain  as  ever  a  chemist  saw  the  effect  of  a 
chemical  change.  For  instance,  take  consumption.  I  know 
the  character  of  every  sensation.  Its  father  or  author  is 
a  hypocrite  and  deceiver.  I  look  upon  it  as  the  most  vile 
of  all  characters.  It  comes  to  a  person  under  a  most  flat- 
tering form,  with  the  kindest  words,  always  very  polite, 
ready  to  lend  its  aid  in  any  way  where  it  can  get  a  hold. 

I  will  illustrate  this  prince  of  hypocrites.  I  will  come  in 
the  form  of  a  lady,  for  it  has  many  faces  and  characters.  I 
enter  as  a  neighbor  with  the  customary  salutations  and  you 
reply  that  you  seem  very  well.     '  'Oh,  I  am  very  glad,  for  by 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS      145 

what  I  had  heard  I  was  expecting  to  find  you  abed.  But 
you  can't  tell  anything  by  gossip.  You  do  not  seem  quite 
so  well  as  when  I  saw  you  last."  "Oh,  yes,  fully  as  well," 
you  say.  "Well,  you  know  there  are  diseases  which  always 
flatter  the  patient.     I  suppose  you  have  heard  of  the  death 

of  iLr. "     "No,  when  did  he  die?"     "He  died  yesterday 

but  was  sick  a  long  time.  Sometimes  he  thought  he  was 
getting  better,  but  I  knew  all  the  time  he  was  running  down. 
But  you  must  not  get  discouraged  because  you  are  like  him,  for 
it  is  not  always  certain  that  a  person  in  the  same  condition 
you  are  in  has  consumption." 

Here  I  make  you  nervous  and  you  are  glad  when  I  leave. 
Knowing  I  am  not  welcome  in  that  form  I  assume  another 
character.  I  must  now  appear  as  a  doctor.  I  sit  down  and 
count  your  pulse,  look  at  your  tongue,  take  a  stick  and  examine 
the  phlegm  that  you  have  raised.  Then  leaning  back  in 
the  chair  draw  a  long  sigh,  and  ask  if  you  have  a  pain  in 
your  left  side. 

The  doctor  is  like  a  dog  that  wags  his  tail  while  you  feed 
him  but  when  your  back  is  turned  will  bite  you.  If  super- 
stition is  to  be  put  down  by  scientific  facts,  it  is  useless  to 
mince  matters.  If  a  person  is  aiding  an  enemy,  he  is  as 
guilty  as  the  thief.  I  want  you  to  know  that  every  word 
that  is  spoken  is  either  matter  or  Wisdom.  Opinions  are 
condensed  into  a  belief.  So,  if  I  [as  a  typical  doctor]  tell 
you  that  you  have  congestion  of  the  lungs  I  impart  my  belief 
to  you  by  a  deposit  of  matter  in  the  form  of  words.  As  you 
eat  my  belief  it  goes  to  form  a  disease  like  its  author,  my  be- 
lief grows,  comes  forth,  and  at  last  takes  form  as  a  pressure 
across  the  chest.  The  doctor  comes  to  get  rid  of  the  enemy  and 
by  his  remedies  creates  another  disease  in  the  bowels.  He 
begins  to  talk  about  inflammation  of  the  bowels.  This 
frightens  j-ou.  The  fright  contracts  the  stomach  so  the  heat 
cannot  escape,  and  causes  a  flush  in  the  face  which  you  call 
a  rush  of  blood  to  the  head.  It  makes  you  feel  sleepj  and 
weak;  you  lie  down;  then  the  stomach  relaxes  and  the  heat 
passes  down  into  the  bowels,  this  causes  pains.  You  call  it 
"inflammation." 

All  this  is  very  simple  when  you  know  what  caused  it. 

This  letter  is  an  essay  for  you  to  read,  so  good-night.  Let 
me  know  how  it  works. 

P.   P.   QUIMBT. 


146     LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS 

IN  REPLY  TO  A  YOUNG  PHYSICIAN^ 

Dear  Sir : 

Yours  of  the  5th  is  received,  and  in  answer  I  would  say  that 
it  is  easier  to  ask  a  question  than  to  answer  it.  But  I  will  an- 
swer your  question  partly  by  asking  another,  and  partly  by 
coming  at  it  by  a  parable.  For  to  answer  any  question  with  re- 
gard to  my  mode  of  treatment  would  be  like  asking  a  physician 
how  he  knows  a  patient  has  the  typhoid  fever  by  feeling  the 
pulse,  and  requesting  the  answer  direct  so  that  the  person  ask- 
ing the  question  could  sit  down  and  be  sure  to  define  the  dis- 
ease from  the  answer. 

My  mode  of  treatment  is  not  decided  in  that  way,  and  to  give 
a  definite  answer  to  your  inquiry  would  be  as  much  out  of 
place  as  to  ask  you  to  tell  me  all  you  know  about  medical 
practice  so  that  I  could  put  it  into  practice  for  the  curing  of 
disease,  with  no  further  knowledge  [apart  from  what]  I 
might  get  from  you.     You  see  the  absurdity  of  that  request. 

If  it  were  in  my  power  to  give  to  the  world  the  benefit  of 
twenty  years'  hard  study  in  one  short  or  long  letter,  it  would 
have  been  before  the  people  long  before  this.  The  people  ask 
they  know  not  what.  You  might  as  well  ask  a  man  to  tell 
you  how  to  talk  Greek  without  studying  it,  as  to  ask  me  to 
tell  you  how  I  test  the  true  pathology  of  disease,  or  how  I 
test  the  true  diagnosis  of  disease,  etc.  All  of  these  questions 
would  be  very  easily  answered  if  I  assumed  a  standard,  and 
then  tested  all  disease  by  that  standard. 

The  old  mode  of  determining  the  diagnosis  of  disease  is 
made  up  of  opinions  of  diseased  persons,  in  their  right  mind 
and  out  of  it,  all  mixed  up  together,  and  set  down  accompanied 
by  a  certain  state  of  pulse.  In  this  dark  chaos  of  error  [the 
doctors]  come  to  certain  results  like  this:  If  you  see  a  man 
going  towards  the  water,  he  is  going  in  swimming ;  for  people 
go  in  swimming.  But  if  he  is  running  with  his  hat  and  coat 
off,  he  is  either  going  to  drown  himself,  or  some  one  is  drown- 
ing, and  soon.     This  is  the  old  way.     Mine  is  this. 

If  I  see  a  man,  I  know  it,  and  if  I  feel  the  cold  I  know  it. 
But  to  see  a  person  going  towards  the  water  is  no  sign  that  I 
know  what  he  is  going  to  do.  He  may  be  going  to  bathe,  or 
may  be  going  to  drown  himself.  Now  here  is  the  difference 
between  the  physician  and  myself,  and  this  may  give  you 
some  idea  of  how  I  define  disease. 

1  Published  in  part  in  "Health  and  the  Inner  Life,"  p  61. 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS     147 

The  regular  [physician]  and  I  sit  down  by  a  patient.  He 
takes  her  by  the  hand,  and  so  do  I.  He  feels  the  pulse  to 
ascertain  the  peculiar  vibration  and  number  of  beats  in  a 
given  time.  This  to  him  is  knowledge.  To  me  it  is  all 
quackery  or  ignorance.  He  looks  at  the  tongue  as  though  it 
contained  information. 

To  me  this  is  all  folly  and  ignorance.  He  then  begins  to 
ask  questions,  which  contain  nothing  to  me,  because  [this 
questioning]  is  of  no  force.  All  this  is  shaken  up  in  his 
head,  and  comes  forth  in  the  form  of  a  disease,  which  is  all 
error  to  me,  and  I  will  give  you  the  diagnosis  of  this  error. 

The  feeling  of  the  pulse  is  to  affect  the  patient  so  he  will 
listen  to  the  doctor.  Examining  the  tongue  is  all  for  effect. 
The  pecuhar  cast  of  the  doctor's  head  is  the  same.  The 
questions,  accompanied  by  certain  looks  and  gestures,  are  all 
to  get  control  of  the  patient's  mind  so  as  to  produce  an  impres- 
sion. Then  he  looks  very  wise,  and  so  on.  All  the  symptoms 
put  together  show  no  knowledge,  but  a  lack  of  wisdom,  and 
the  general  credulity  of  mankind  rendering  [people]  liable 
to  be  humbugged  by  any  person  however  ignorant  he  may  be, 
if  he  has  the  reputation  of  possessing  all  medical  knowledge. 

Now,  sir,  this  is  the  field  you  are  about  to  enter,  and  you 
will  find  the  hardest  stumbling  block  from  diplomas.  Greek 
and  Latin,  and  the  like  are  all  of  no  consequence  to  the  sick. 
It  is  impossible  to  give  you  even  a  mere  shadow  of  twenty 
years'  experience.  But  I  may  be  of  some  use  to  you.  I  will 
say  a  word  or  two  on  the  old  practice,  (not  taking  much  time,) 
that  will  answer  all  your  questions  on  the  old  school ;  for  the 
less  you  know  the  better. 

Watch  the  popular  physician.  See  his  shrewdness.  Watch 
the  sick  patient:  nerv'ous  and  trembling  like  a  person  in  the 
hands  of  a  magistrate  who  has  him  in  his  power,  and  whose 
real  object  is  to  deceive  him.  See  the  two  together,  one  per- 
fectly honest,  and  the  other,  if  honest,  perfectly  ignorant,  [the 
physician]  undertaking  blindfolded  to  lead  the  patients 
through  the  dark  valley  of  the  sliadow  of  death,  the  patient 
being  born  [mentally]  blind.  Then  you  see  them  going  along, 
and  at  last  they  both  fall  into  the  ditch. 

Now,  like  the  latter,  do  not  deceive  your  patients.  Tr>'  to 
instruct  them,  and  correct  their  errors.  Use  all  the  wisdom 
you  have,  and  expose  the  hypocrisy  of  the  profession  in  any 
one.    Never  deceive  your  patients  behind  their  backs.     Always 


148     LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS 

remember  that  as  you  feel  about  your  patients,  just  so  they 
feel  towards  you.  If  you  deceive  them,  they  lose  confidence  in 
you.  Just  as  you  prove  yourself  superior  to  them,  they  give 
you  credit  mentally.  If  you  pursue  this  course  you  cannot 
help  succeeding.  Be  charitable  to  the  poor.  Keep  the  health 
of  your  patient  in  view,  and  if  money  comes,  all  well ;  but  do 
not  let  that  get  the  lead. 

"With  all  this  advice,  I  leave  you  to  your  fate,  trusting  that 
the  True  Wisdom  will  guide  you — not  in  the  path  of  your 
predecessors.     Shun  evil  and  learn  to  do  good. 

Portland,  Sept.  16,  1860.  P.  P.  Q. 

A  LETTER  REGARDING  A  PATIENT 

Dear  Sir: 

Yours  of  Aug.  27th  was  received,  after  a  long  journey 
through  the  state  of  Maine.  I  will  give  you  all  the  informa- 
tion that  I  am  aware  I  possess. 

If  certain  conditions  of  mind  exist,  certain  effects  will 
surely  follow.  For  instance,  if  two  persons  agree  as  touch- 
ing one  thing,  it  will  be  granted.  But  if  one  agrees  and  the 
other  knows  not  the  thing  desired,  then  the  thing  will  not  be 
accomplished. 

For  example,  the  lady  in  question  wishes  my  services  to 
restore  her  to  health.  Now  her  health  is  the  thing  she  de- 
sires. Her  faith  is  the  substance  of  her  hope.  Her  hope  is 
her  desire,  it  is  founded  on  public  opinion,  and  in  this  is  her 
haven,  the  anchor  to  her  desire,  public  opinion  the  ocean  on 
which  her  barque  or  belief  floats.  Eeports  of  me  are  the  wind 
that  either  presses  her  along  to  the  haven  of  health  or  down 
to  despair.  The  tide  of  public  opinion  is  either  against  her 
or  in  her  favor.  Now,  as  she  lies  moored  on  the  sea,  with 
her  desire  or  cable  attached  to  her  anchor  of  hope,  tossed  to 
and  fro  in  the  gale  of  disease,  if  she  can  see  me  or  my  power 
walking  on  the  water,  saying  to  her  aches  and  pains,  "Be 
still,"  then  I  have  no  doubt  that  she  will  get  better.  The  sea 
will  then  be  calm,  and  she  will  get  that  which  she  hoped  for : 
her  faith  or  cure.  For  her  faith  is  her  cure.  .  .  .  This  is 
the  commencement  of  her  cure.  I,  like  Jesus,  will  stand  at 
her  heart  and  knock.  If  she  hears  my  voice  or  feels  my  in- 
fluence, and  opens  the  door  of  her  belief,  I  will  come  in  and 
talk,  and  help  her  out  of  her  trouble. 

Portland,  Sept.  17th,  1860.  P.  P.  Q. 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS     149 

TO  A  GENTLEMAN  REQUESTING  HELP  WITHOUT  A  PERSONAL 
INTERVIEW 

Dear  Sir: 

In  answer  to  your  inquiry,  I  would  say  that,  owing  to  the 
scepticism  of  the  world  I  do  not  feel  inclined  to  assure  you 
of  any  benefit  which  you  may  receive  from  my  influence  while 
away  from  you,  as  your  belief  would  probably  keep  me  from 
helping  you.  But  it  will  not  cost  me  much  time  nor  expense 
to  make  the  trial.  So  if  I  stand  at  your  door  and  knock, 
and  you  know  my  voice  or  influence  and  receive  me,  you  may 
be  benefited.  If  you  do  receive  any  benefit,  give  it  to  the 
Principle,  not  to  me  as  a  man,  but  to  that  Wisdom  which  is 
able  to  break  the  bonds  of  the  prisoner,  set  him  free  from  the 
errors  of  the  doctors,  and  restore  him  to  health.  This  I  will 
try  to  do  with  pleasure.  But  if  this  fails  and  your  case  is  one 
which  requires  my  seeing  you,  then  my  opinion  is  of  no  use. 

"5rours   etc. 

Portland,  Oct.  20th,  1860.  P.  P.  Q. 

TO  A   CLERGYMAN^ 

Oct.  28th,  1860. 
Dear  Sir: 

Your  letter  of  the  eighteenth  was  received,  but  owing  to 
a  press  of  business  I  neglected  answering  it.  I  will  try  to 
give  you  the  wisdom  you  ask.  So  far  as  giving  an  opinion 
IS  concerned,  it  is  out  of  my  power  as  a  physician,  though  as 
man  I  might.  But  it  would  be  of  no  service,  for  it  would 
contain  no  wisdom  except  of  this  world. 

My  practice  is  not  of  the  wisdom  of  man,  so  my  opinion 
as  a  man  is  of  no  value.  Jesus  said,  "If  I  judge  of  myself, 
my  judgment  is  not  true :  but  if  I  judge  of  God,  it  is  right," 
for  that  contains  no  opinion.  So  if  I  judge  as  a  man  it  is  an 
opinion,  and  you  can  get  plenty  of  them  anywhere. 

You  inquire  if  I  have  ever  cured  any  cases  of  chronic 
rheumatism.  I  answer,  "Yes."  But  there  are  as  many  cases 
of  chronic  rheumatism  as  there  are  of  spinal  complaint,  so 
that  I  cannot  decide  your  case  by  another.  You  cannot  be 
saved  by  pinning  your  faith  on  another's  sleeve.  Every  one 
must  answer  for  his  own  sins  or  belief.  Our  beliefs  are  the 
cause  of  our  misery.     Our  happiness  and  misery  are  what 

1  Printed  in  part  in  "Health  and  the  Inner  Life,"  p.  60. 


150     LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS 

follow  our  belief.  So  as  we  measure  out  to  another,  it  will 
be  measured  to  us  again. 

You  ask  me  if  I  ascribe  my  cures  to  spiritual  influence. 
Not  after  the  [manner  of]  Rochester  rappings,  nor  after  Dr. 
Newton's  way  of  curing.  I  think  I  know  how  he  cures, 
though  he  does  not.  I  gather  by  those  I  have  seen  who  have 
been  treated  by  him  that  he  thinks  it  is  through  the  imagina- 
tion of  the  patient's  belief.  So  he  and  I  have  no  sympathy. 
If  he  cures  disease,  that  is  good  for  the  one  cured.  But  the 
world  is  not  any  wiser. 

You  ask  if  my  practice  belongs  to  any  known  science.  My 
answer  is,  "No,"  it  belongs  to  Wisdom  that  is  above  man  as 
man.  The  Science  that  I  try  to  practice  is  the  Science  that 
was  taught  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  and  has  never  had  a 
place  in  the  heart  of  man  since ;  but  is  in  the  world,  and  the 
world  knows  it  not.  To  narrow  it  down  to  man's  wisdom,  I 
sit  down  by  the  patient  and  take  his  feelings,  and  as  the  rest 
will  be  a  long  story  I  will  send  you  one  of  my  circulars,  so 
that  you  may  read  for  yourself. 

Hoping  this  may  limber  the  cords  of  your  neck,  I  remain, 

Yours,  etc., 

P.  P.  QUIMBY 

[The  circular  reprinted  below  is  the  one  referred  to  in  this 
letter.  It  was  in  circulation  for  some  years  before  Dr. 
Quimby  began  to  practise  in  Portland,  and  had  blank  spaces 
to  be  filled  in  by  the  name  of  the  town  and  the  location  of 
Quimby's  office.] 

TO  THE  SICK^ 

Dr.  P.  P.  QUIMBY  would  respectfully  announce  to  the 

citizens  of and  vicinity,  that  he  will 

be  at  the    where  he  will  attend  to 

those  wishing  to  consult  him  in  regard  to  their  health,  and,  as 
his  practice  is  unlike  all  other  medical  practice,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  say  that  he  gives  no  medicines  and  makes  no  outward 
applications,  but  simply  sits  down  by  the  patients,  tells  them 
their  feelings  and  what  they  think  is  their  disease.  If  the 
patients  admit  that  he  tells  them  their  feelings,  &c.,  then  his 
explanation  is  the  cure;  and,  if  he  succeeds  in  correcting 
their  error,  he  changes  the  fluids  of  the  system  and  estab- 
1  Published  in  part  in  "The  True  History  of  Mental  Science." 


LETTERS  TO  PATIENTS  AND  INQUIRERS     151 

lishes  the  truth,  or  health.  The  Truth  is  the  Cure.  This 
mode  of  practice  applies  to  all  cases.  If  no  explanation  is 
given,  no  charge  is  made,  for  no  effect  is  produced.  His 
opinion  without  an  explanation  is  useless,  for  it  contains  no 
knowledge,  and  would  be  like  other  medical  opinions,  worse 
than  none.  This  error  gives  rise  to  all  kinds  of  quackery, 
not  only  among  regular  physicians,  but  those  whose  aim  is  to 
deceive  people  by  pretending  to  cure  all  diseases.  The  sick 
are  anxious  to  get  well,  and  they  apply  to  these  persons  sup- 
posing them  to  be  honest  and  friendly,  whereas  they  are  made 
to  believe  they  are  very  sick  and  something  must  be  done  ere 
it  is  too  late.  Five  or  ten  dollars  is  then  paid,  for  the  cure  of 
some  disease  they  never  had,  nor  ever  would  have  had  but  for 
the  wrong  inpressions  received  from  these  quacks  or  robbers, 
(as  they  might  be  called,)  for  it  is  the  worst  kind  of  rol)bery, 
tho'  sanctioned  by  law.  Now,  if  they  will  only  look  at  the 
time  secret  of  this  description,  tbey  will  find  it  is  for  their  own 
selfish  objects — to  sell  their  medicines.  Herein  consists  their 
shrewdness ! — to  impress  patients  with  a  wrong  idea,  namely — 
that  they  have  some  disease.  This  makes  them  nervous  and 
creates  in  their  minds  a  disease  that  otherwise  would  never 
have  been  thought  of.  Wlierefore  he  says  to  such,  never  con- 
sult a  quack :  you  not  only  lose  your  money,  but  your  health. 

He  gives  no  opinion,  therefore  you  lose  nothing.  If  patients 
feel  pain  they  know  it,  and  if  he  describes  their  pain  he  feels 
it,  and  in  his  explanation  lies  the  cure.  Patients,  of  course, 
have  some  opinion  as  to  what  causes  pain — he  has  none, 
therefore  the  disagreement  lies  not  in  the  pain,  but  in  the 
cause  of  the  pain.  He  has  the  advantage  of  patients,  for  it 
is  very  easy  to  convince  them  that  he  had  no  pain  before  he 
sat  down  by  them.  After  this  it  becomes  his  duty  to  prove  to 
them  the  cause  of  their  trouble.     This  can  only  be  explained 

to  patients,  for  which  explanation  his  charge  is 

dollars.     If  necessary  to  see  them  more  than  once, 

dollars.  This  has  been  his  mode  of  practice  for  the  last 
seventeen  years. 

There  are  many  who  pretend  to  practice  as  he  does,  but 
when  a  person  wliile  in  "a  trance,"  claims  any  power  from  the 
spirits  of  the  departed,  and  recommends  any  kind  of  medicine 
to  be  taken  internally  or  applied  externally  beware !  believe 
them  not,  "for  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 


XII 

Mrs.  Eddy:  1862-18751 

We  have  noted  the  fact  that  Mrs.  Eddy,  then  Mrs.  Pat- 
terson, was  a  patient  under  Dr.  Quimby's  care  during  the 
period  of  his  practice  in  Portland.  At  that  time  Mrs.  Eddy 
"was  recovering  from  invalidism  of  long  standing.  Hence 
she  was  greatly  handicapped  at  first.  She  had  firmly  be- 
lieved in  doctors  and  medicine,  and  accepted  the  conventional 
teachings  in  regard  to  disease.  But  while  burdened  with 
these  allegiances  she  also  possessed  a  strong  desire  to  make 
the  change  to  the  new  point  of  view  as  thoroughly  and 
quickly  as  possible.  To  understand  her  relationship  to  Dr. 
Quimby  and  his  teachings  we  need  then  to  put  ourselves 
appreciatively  into  the  point  of  view  of  her  inner  life. 

Dr.  D.  Patterson,  Mrs.  Eddy's  husband,  became  interested 
in  the  new  method  of  healing  and  urged  his  wife  to  con- 
sult Dr.  Quimby.  Two  of  his  letters  to  Dr.  Quimby  have 
been  preserved  and  are  here  printed  in  full. 

DR.   D.    PATTERSON   TO   P.   P.    QUIMBY 

No.  1 

Eumney,  N.  H.,  Oct.  14,  1861. 
Dr.  Qidmhy, 

Dear  Sir  :  I  have  heard  that  you  intended  to  come  to  Con- 
cord, N.  H.  this  fall  to  stop  a  while  for  the  benefit  of  the 
suffering  portion  of  our  race :  do  you  intend,  and  if  so,  how 
soon?  My  wife  has  been  an  invalid  for  a  number  of  years; 
is  not  able  tc  sit  up  but  a  little,  and  we  wish  to  have  the 
benefit  of  your  wonderful  power  in  her  case.  If  you  are  soon 
coming  to  Concord  I  shall  carry  her  up  to  you,  and  if  you 

1  Fourteen  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  personal  letters  were  found  with  the 
"Quimby  Manuscripts."  While  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  print  the 
text  of  these  letters,  it  may  be  said  that  they  corroborate  the  state- 
ments made  in  this  chapter  and  elsewhere  regarding  the  relationa 
of  Mrs.  Eddy  to  Dr.  Quimby  and  her  acceptance  of  his  theoriee. 

152 


MRS.  EDDY:  1862-1875  153 

are  not  ccming  there  we  may  try  to  carry  her  to  Portland 
if  you  remain  there. 

Please  write  me  at  your  earliest  convenience  and  oblige, 
Yours  truly, 

(Address)  Dr.  D.  Patterson, 

RUMNET,   N.H. 

No.  2 
No.  76  Union  St.,  Lynn,  Mass.  Apl.  24th,  1865. 
Dr.  P.  P.  Quimhy. 

Dear  Sir:  ]V%  wife  arrived  safely  Sat.  eve.,  and  is  greatly 
improved  in  her  health,  but  says  she  did  not  settle  with  you. 
If  you  will  send  your  bill  by  mail,  I  will  send  the  balance 
due  you  by  the  same  conveyance. 

Yours, 

D.  Patterson. 

The  first  of  these  letters  is  especially  important  since  it 
gives  the  date  of  the  request  for  Dr.  Quimby's  treatment. 
Dr.  Quimby's  circular  ^  deeply  interested  Mrs.  Eddy  and  as 
he  was  unable  to  leave  his  practice  in  Portland  to  visit 
Mrs.  Eddy  in  New  Hampshire,  Mrs.  Eddy  wrote  personal 
appeals  from  Rumney,  and  from  a  water  cure  in  Hill,  N.  H., 
whither  she  had  gone  for  treatment  but  without  avail.  It 
is  plain  that  Mrs.  Eddy  had  now  reached  the  limit  of  endu- 
rance and  the  end  of  her  faith  in  material  methods  of  treat- 
ment. No  record  of  Dr.  Quimby's  answer  has  been  preserved, 
but  doubtless  he  wrote  to  her  with  all  the  more  interest  and 
conviction  in  view  of  the  fact  that  she  had  given  up  hope  in 
all  other  directions.  For  under  such  conditions  he  antici- 
pated the  best  results. 

There  is  no  record  of  the  exact  date  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  arrival 
in  Portland,  but  one  of  Dr.  Quimby's  patients,  still  living, 
was  present  in  the  office  when  she  came  and  distinctly  re- 
members seeing  the  invalid  assisted  up  the  steps  to  his 
office.  In  the  journal  of  Mr.  Julius  A.  Dresser,  under 
date  of  October  17,  1862,  mention  is  made  for  the  first 
time  of  this  new  patient,  who  manifested  special  interest 
in  Dr.  Quimby's  teaching  and  was  eager  to  converse  with 
the  patients  who  best  understood  the  new  theory.     !Mlr.  Dres- 

1  See  page  150. 


154  MRS.  EDDY:  1862-1875 

ser  devoted  the  larger  part  of  his  time  at  that  period  to 
conversations  with  patients,  and  it  was  natural  tliat  he 
should  talk  at  length  with  Mrs.  Eddy.  These  conversations 
were  highly  important  because  they  gave  Mrs.  Eddy  her 
first  connected  idea  of  Quimby's  great  truth. 

First  of  all,  Mr.  Dresser  could  speak  with  the  conviction 
of  one  whose  life  had  been  saved  at  the  point  of  death  with 
typhoid  pneumonia.  Again,  he  had  seen  the  results  in  hun- 
dreds of  cases,  since  his  own  cure  in  June,  1860,  and  could 
substantiate  whatever  he  said  by  describing  the  conditions 
and  the  appearance  of  patients  when  they  first  came  for 
treatment  and  by  telling  how  great  were  the  changes  wrought 
by  Quimby's  wisdom.  Mrs.  Eddy  indicated  her  increasing 
interest  in  this  "wisdom,"  and  her  desire  to  read  a  state- 
ment of  it  in  Quim])y's  own  words.  Accordingly  Mr. 
Dresser  loaned  her  Vol:  1  of  the  manuscripts,  as  lie  pos- 
sessed a  copy  in  his  own  handwriting,  this  copy  having  been 
preserved  with  the  others  until  the  present  time.^ 

The  turning-point  with  Mrs.  Eddy,  as  with  all  who  came 
to  Dr.  Quimby,  was  of  course  the  silent  spiritual  treatment 
which  she  received  at  regular  intervals  during  her  stay  in 
Portland.  Dr.  Quimby  always  depended  primarily  on  this 
silent  work  to  bring  about  the  fundamental  or  decisive 
change,  to  overcome  the  adverse  infiuences  and  start  the  re- 
action in  favor  of  health.  In  Mrs.  Eddy's  case  there  were 
years  of  invalidism  to  overcome,  together  with  the  beliefs 
and  habits  which  bound  her  to  another  mode  of  life.  Hence 
a  gradual  change  in  consciousness  and  attitude  followed  upon 
the  remarkable  effects  of  the  silent  treatment  which  lifted 
her  out  of  her  invalidism.  To  understand  what  Dr.  Quimby 
accomplished  for  her  we  should  not  only  bear  in  mind  that 
the  silent  treatment  took  her  past  the  decisive  point,  but 
note  that  the  conversations  were  in  their  way  no  less  essen- 
tial, and  that  these  were  made  good  by  the  many  opportunities 
to  listen  to  the  reading  of  manuscripts,  to  hear  discussions 
and  to  read  the  manuscripts  herself.  We  have  the  direct 
testimony  of  those  who  were  present  during  the  conversa- 
tions and  readings  in  the  office  to  the  effect  that  Mrs.  Eddy 
showed  unusual  eagerness  to  acquire  all  she  could  through 
these  exceptional  opportunities.     Indeed  her  zeal  seems  at 

1  See  pages  179-229. 


MBS,  EDDY:  1862-1875  155 

times  to  have  exceeded  her  understanding,  for  some  of  her 
letters  indicate  that  she  made  ventures  beyond  her  returning 
strength.  IShe  was  nervously  susceptible  in  type,  easily  took 
on  the  feelings  or  mental  atmospheres  of  the  sick.  Hence 
the  problem  in  her  case  was  not  merely  that  of  the  recovery 
of  her  health ;  it  was  to  find  a  way  to  temperamental  control 
so  that  she  could  apply  the  new  "Science"  and  yet  keep  free. 

After  her  return  from  Portland  to  Sanbornton  Bridge 
(1863)  she  was  not  sure  of  herself  in  all  respects  and  found 
it  necessary  to  send  for  absent  treatment  on  occasion,  but 
she  had  begmi  to  care  for  the  sick  by  Quiniby's  method. 
Later,  at  Warren,  Maine,  (1864)  she  acquired  the  power  to 
detect  others'  feelings  and  atmospheres,  had  become  ac- 
customed to  the  feeling  of  Quimby's  presence  during  absent 
treatments  and  had  advanced  to  knowledge  of  that  presence 
when  there  was  no  apparent  reason  for  his  coming. 

It  was  at  Warren  that  Mrs.  Eddy  gave  her  first  public 
lectures  expounding  Quimby's  views.  She  felt  impelled  to 
give  these  lectures  because  she  found  herself  classified  as  a 
spiritualist  and  a  public  denial  seemed  necessary — she  dis- 
claimed any  connection  with  phenomena  involving  rappings, 
trances,  or  any  agency  in  healing  the  sick  said  to  come  from 
the  dead,  and  contrasted  Quimby's  science  of  healing  with 
Rochester  rappings,  spiritualism  and  deism  in  general.  Her 
remarks  attracted  attention  and  a  newspaper  editor  asked  her 
for  a  communication  on  the  subject. 

Throughout  this  period,  from  the  time  of  her  acquaintance 
with  Dr.  Quimby  by  reputation  and  then  as  her  healer  in 
Portland  and  by  means  of  "angel  visits,''  Mrs.  Eddy  looked 
up  to  Quimby  as  the  great  discoverer  and  healer  of  the 
day,  the  one  whose  privilege  it  was  to  rediscover  the  truth 
which  Jesus  taught.  She  felt  and  expressed  the  profound 
gratitude  and  loyalty  of  one  who  had  been  marvellously 
restored  to  health.  She  made  no  claims  for  herself.  She 
did  not  make  light  of  Quimby's  teaching  or  identify  it  with 
either  mesmerism,  magnetism  or  any  other  of  the  isms  of 
the  day,  as  we  shall  soon  see  more  plainly,  in  her  com- 
munication to  a  Portland  paper.  In  fact,  she  showed  her- 
self more  than  an  ardent  disciple;  she  was  eager  to  come 
to  Quimby's  defense,  lest  he  should  be  misunderstood  and 
classed  with  the  isms  and  humbugs  then  current. 

In  order  to  depreciate  Mrs.  Eddy's  indebtedness  to  Dr. 


156  MRS.  EDDY:  1862-1875 

Quimby,  some  critics  have  tried  to  make  out  that  she  was 
not  cured  by  liim.  The  recurrence  of  weakness  seems  to 
confirm  this.  Mrs.  Eddy  several  times  wrote  for  absent 
healing,  and  on  one  occasion  felt  it  necessary  to  return  to 
Portland  for  treatmenr.  She  frankly  confessed  that  she  had 
temporary  recurrences  of  former  troubles.  But  the  critics 
who  make  this  charge  overlook  the  fact  that  she  was  at  the 
point  of  death  when  she  first  went  to  Portland,  and  the 
fact  that  she  was  brought  out  of  that  condition  so  that  she 
could  walk,  as  she  herself  says  in  her  communication  to 
the  Courier,  unaided  after  only  a  week's  treatment ;  and 
that  Dr.  Quimby  gave  her  the  therapeutic  impetus  and  the 
wisdom  which  carried  her  through  to  the  point  where  she 
herself  began  to  understand  and  to  demonstrate. 

SONNET. 
Suggested    by    Reading    the    Remarkable    Cure    of    Capiat    F.    W 

Deer  in  g  i 
For  the  Courier. 

TO    DR.    p.    p.    QUIMBY 

'Mid  light  of  science  sits  tlie  sage  profound. 

Awing  with  classics  and  his  starry  lore, 

Climbing  to  Venus,  chasing  Saturn  round, 

Turning    his    mystic    pages    o'er    and    o'er, 

Till,  from  empyrean  space,  his  wearied  sight 

Turns   to   the   oasis   on    which   to   gaze. 

More  bright  than  glitters  on  the  brow  of  night 

The  self-taught  man  walking  in  wisdom's  ways. 

Then  paused  the  captive  gaze  with  peace  entwined. 

And  sight  was  satisfied  with  thee  to  dwell; 

But  not  in  classics  could  the  book -worm  find 

That  law  of  excellence  whence  came  the  spell 

Potent  o'er  all, — the  captive  to  unbind. 

To  heal  the  sick  and  faint,  the  halt  and  blind. 

Mary  M.  Pattebson. 

The  confessions  of  weakness  were  evidences  of  the  regera- 
tive  work  in  process,  as  she  realizes  when  it  comes  to  her 
that  to  see  the  great  new  truth  and  to  live  by  it  consciously 
are  two  different  things.  For  the  mere  restoration  to  phy- 
sical health  was  only  the  beginning.  There  remained  the 
great  problem  of  a  temperament  which  made  her  unduly 
aware  of  the  ills  and  feelings  of  others.  The  problem  of 
one's  temperament  is  not  to  be  solved  in  a  week.     Hence 

1  Printed  from  the  original  manuscript  preserved  by  George  A. 
Quimby.     See  Appendix. 


MRS.  EDDY:  1862-1876  157 

to  Dr.  Quimby  she  wrote  as  much  of  her  weaknesses  and 
failures  as  of  her  faith  in  his  new  Science  that,  seeing 
precisely  where  she  stood,  he  might  help  her  to  take  the 
next  great  step.  Dr.  Quimby  always  encouraged  this  frank 
statement  of  a  patient's  actual  needs.  Mrs.  Eddy  responded 
in  full  faith.  Meanwhile  her  public  lectures  and  her  con- 
versations with  interested  persons  showed  how  strong  was 
her  belief  that  Quimby  possessed  the  true  Science  of  the 
Christ.  This  faith  is  shown,  for  example,  in  the  sonnet 
written  at  the  time  of  one  of  Dr.  Quimby's  great  cures, 
and  in  her  article  in  a  Portland  daily  paper. 

The  following  is  from  Mrs.  Eddy's  article  published  in 
the  Portland  Evening  Courier  in  1862.  It  plainly  shows  the 
writer's  real  attitude  toward  her  restorer. 

"When  our  Shakespeare  decided  that  'there  were  more 
things  in  this  world  than  were  dreamed  of  in  your  philosophy,' 
I  cannot  say  of  a  verity  that  he  had  a  foreknowledge  of  P. 
P.  Quimby.  And  when  the  school  Platonic  anatomized  the 
soul  and  divided  it  into  halves,  to  be  reunited  by  elemen- 
tary attractions,  and  heathen  philosophers  averred  that  old 
Chaos  in  sullen  silence  biooded  o'er  the  earth  until  her 
inimitable  form  was  hatched  from  the  egg  of  night,  I  would 
not  at  present  decide  whether  the  fallacy  was  found  in  their 
premises  or  conclusions,  never  having  dated  my  existence  be 
fore  the  flood.  When  the  startled  alchemist  discovered,  as 
he  supposed,  an  universal  solvent,  or  the  philosopher's  stone, 
and  the  more  daring  Archimedes  invented  a  lever  where- 
withal to  pry  up  the  universe,  I  cannot  say  that  in  either 
the  principle  obtained  in  nature  or  in  art,  or  that  it  worked 
well,  having  never  tried  it.  But,  when  by  a  falling  apple 
an  immutable  law  was  discovered,  we  gave  it  the  crown  of 
science,  which  is  incontrovertible  and  capable  of  demon- 
stration :  hence  that  was  wisdom  and  truth.  When  from  the 
evidence  of  the  senses  my  reason  takes  cognizance  of  truth, 
although  it  may  appear  in  quite  a  miraculous  view,  T  must 
acknowledge  that  as  science  which  is  truth  uninvestigated. 
Hence  the  following  di^monstration : — 

"Three  weeks  since  I  quitted  my  nurse  and  sick-room  en 
route  for  Portland.  The  belief  of  my  recovery  had  died  out 
of  the  hearts  of  those  who  were  most  anxious  for  it.  With 
this  mental  and  physical  depression  I  first  visited  P.  P. 
Quimby ;  and  in  less  than  one  week  from  that  time  I  ascended 


158  MRS.  EDDY:  1862-1875 

by  a  stairway  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-two  steps  to  the 
dome  of  the  City  Hall,  and  am  improving  ad  infinitum. 
To  the  most  subtle  reasoning,  such  a  proof,  coupled,  too, 
as  it  is  with  numberless  similar  ones,  demonstrates  his  power 
to  heal.     Now  for  a  brief  analysis  of  this  power. 

"Is    it    spiritualism.     Listen    to    the    words    of    wisdom. 
'Believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me ;  or  believe  me  for  the  very 
work's  sake.'     Now,  then,  his  works  are  but  the  result  of 
superior  wisdom,  which  can  demonstrate  a  science  not  under- 
stood :  hence  it  were  a  doubtful  proceeding  not  to  believe 
him  for  the  work's  sake.     Well,  then,  he  denies  that  his  power 
to  heal  the  sick  is  borrowed  from  the  spirits  of  this  or  another 
world ;  and  let  us  take  the  Scriptures  for  proof.     'A  kingdom 
divided    against   itself    canot    stand.'     How,    then,    can    he 
receive  the  friendly  aid  of  the   disenthralled  spirit,   while 
he  rejects  the  faith  of  the  solemn  mystic  who  crosses  the 
threshold  of   the   dark  unknown   to  conjure   up   from   the 
vasty  deep  the  awe-struck  spirit  of  some  invisible  squaw? 
"Again,  is  it  by  animal  magnetism  that  he  heals  the  sick  ? 
Let  us  examine.     I  have  employed   electro-magnetism   and 
animal  magnetism,  and  for  a  brief  interval  have  felt  relief, 
from  the  equilibrium  which  I  fancied  was  restored  to  an 
exhausted  system  or  by  a  diffusion  of  concentrated  action. 
But  in  no  instance  did  I  get  rid  of  a  return  of  all  my  ail- 
ments, because  I  had  not  been  helped  out  of  the  error  in 
which  opinions  involved  us.     My  operator  believed  in  disease 
independent  of  the  mind ;  hence,  I  could  not  be  wiser  than  my 
teacher.     But  now  I  can  see  dimly  at  first,  and  only  as  trees 
walking,  the  great  principle  which  underlies  Dr.  Quimby's 
faith  and  works;  and  just  in  proportion  to  my  light  per- 
ception of  truth  is  my  recovery.     This  truth  which  he  op- 
poses to  the  error  of  giving  intelligence  to  matter  and  plac- 
ing pain  where  it  never  placed  itself,  if  received  understand- 
ingly,  changes  the  currents  of  the  system  to  their  normal 
action ;  and  the  mechanism  of  the  body  goes  on  undisturbed. 
That  this   is   a   science   capable   of   demonstration   becomes 
clear  to  the  minds  of  those  patients  who  reason  upon  the 
process  of  their  cure.     The  truth  which  he  establishes  in  the 
patient  cures  him   (although  he  may  be  wholly  unconscious 
thereof)  ;  and  the  body,  which  is  full  of  light,  is  no  longer 
in  disease.     At  present  I  am  too  much  in  error  to  elucidate 
the  truth,  and  can  touch  only  the  key-note  for  the  master 


MRS,  EDDY:  1862-1875  159 

hand  to  wake  the  harmony.  May  it  be  in  essays  instead  of 
notes!  say  I.  After  all,  this  is  a  very  spiritual  doctrine; 
but  the  eternal  years  of  God  are  with  it,  and  it  must  stand 
firm  as  the  rock  of  ages.  And  to  many  a  poor  sufferer  may 
it  be  found,  as  by  me,  'the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a 
weary  land'." 

The  day  following  the  publication  of  the  above  article,  it 
was  criticized  by  the  Portland  Advertiser;  and  Mrs.  Eddy 
then  wrote  a  second  article,  replying  to  the  criticism.  In 
it  appeared  the  following  paragraph,  referring  to  Quimby 
and  his  doctrine: 

"P.  P.  Quimby  stands  upon  the  plane  of  wisdom  with  his 
truth,  Christ  healed  the  sick,  but  not  by  jugglery  or  with 
drugs.  As  the  former  speaks  as  never  man  before  spake,  and 
heals  as  never  man  healed  since  Christ,  is  he  not  identified 
with  truth,  and  is  not  this  the  Christ  which  is  in  him? 
We  know  that  in  wisdom  is  life,  'and  the  life  was  the  light  of 
man.'  P.  P.  Quimby  rolls  away  the  stone  from  the  sepulclire 
of  error,  and  health  is  the  resurrection.  But  we  also  know 
that  'light  shineth  in  darkness,  and  the  darkness  compre- 
hended it  not.' " 

"These  excerp;fcs"  says  J.  A.  Dresser,  "are  in  plain  lan- 
guage, and  they  speak  for  themselves.  The  statements  are 
made  with  too  evident  an  understanding  of  their  truth  to  be 
doubted  or  questioned,  or  afterward  reversed  in  any  par- 
ticular. It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  your  speaker  was 
there  at  the  time,  and  was  familiar  with  all  the  circumstances 
she  relates  and  the  views  expressed.  The  devated  regard 
the  lady  formed  for  her  deliverer,  Quimby,  and  for  the 
truth  he  taught  her,  which  proved  her  salvation,  wa"s  con- 
tinued to  be  held  by  her  from  this  time  (the  autumn  of  18G2) 
up  to  a  period  at  least  four  years  later;  for  in  January,  1866, 
Quimby's  death  occurred,  and  on  Febiniary  15  she  sent  to  me 
a  copy  of  a  poem  she  had  written  to  his  memory,  and  accom- 
panied it  by  letter." 

This  letter,  which  was  published  in  full  in  "The  True 
History  of  Mental  Science,"  1887,  wiis  both  an  expression 
of  gratitude  and  a  personal  appeal.  Knowing  that  Mr. 
Dresser  was  Quimby's  most  enthusiastic  follower,  Mrs.  Eddy 
expressed  the  hope  that  he  would  take  up  the  work  of  their 
much-loved  friend.  She  then  goes  on  to  speak  of  a  fall 
on   tlie   sidewalk  which   left  her  momentarily   unconscious. 


160  MRS,  EDDY:  1862-1875 

When  she  was  brought  to,  she  found  herself  in  a  crippled 
condition  like  that  which  Dr.  Quimby  had  cured  in  1862. 
The  attending  physician  declared  that  she  would  never  walk 
again.  But  so  firm  was  her  faith  in  Quimby's  principle 
that  she  was  out  of  bed  in  two  days,  with  the  declaration 
that  she  would  walk.  Nevertheless  she  found  that  the  mis- 
hap had  thrown  her  back  into  the  old  associations  for  the 
time  being,  also  that  her  friends  were  helping  her  back 
into  the  spinal  affection  from  which  she  had  suffered  so 
long.  In  this  state  of  suspense  between  opposing  forces 
she  appealed  to  Mr.  Dresser  for  help,  according  to  Quimby's 
method  of  silent  spiritual  treatment.  If  another  person 
were  in  her  condition  she  believed  she  could  give  help  in  this 
way,  that  is,  if  the  other  had  not  attributed  intelligence  \ 
to  matter.  But  despite  her  strong  faith  that  all  intelligence 
should  be  identified  with  Divine  power,  she  found  herself 
weakening.  Hence  her  appeal  to  one  who  had  followed  Dr. 
Quimby  with  such  ardor  and  understanding. 

The  poem,  which  had  been  printed  in  a  Lynn  newspaper, 
is  as  f oUows : — 

LINES  ON  THE  DEATH  OF  DR.  P.  P.  QUIMBY,  WHO  HEALED 
WITH  THE  TRUTH  THAT  ChRIST  TAUGHT,  IN  CONTRA- 
DISTINCTION   TO    ALL    ISMS. 

Did  sackcloth  clothe  the  sun,  and  day  grow  night, 

All  matter  mourn  the  hour  with  dewy  eyes, 
When  Truth,  receding  from  our  mortal  sight. 

Had  paid  to  error  her  last  sacrifice? 
Can  we  forget  the  power  that  gave  us  life? 

Shall  we  forget  the  wisdom  of  its  way? 
Then  ask  me  not,  amid  this  mortal  strife, — 

This  keenest  pang  of  animated,  clay, — 
To  mourn  him  less:   to  mourn  him  more  were  just, 

If  to  his  memory  'twere  a  tribute  given 
For  every   solemn,  sacred,  earnest  trust 

Delivered  to  us   ere  he  rose  to  heaven.  - 
Heaven  but  the  happiness  of  that  calm  soul. 

Growing  in  stature  to  the  throne  of  God: 
Rest  should  reward  him  who  hath  made  us  whole, 

Seeking,  though  tremblers,  where  his  footsteps  trod. 

Lynn,  Feb.  22, 1866.  ISIaby  M.  Patterson. 

It  is  interesting  to  realize  how  much  depended  on  the 
answer  to  that  letter.  Had  Mr.  Dresser  decided  to  take  up 
Dr.  Quimby's  work  at  that  time,  no  one  would  have  disputed 


MRS,  EDDY:  1862-1875  161 

his  right  to  do  so  oa-  his  worthiness,  since  he  was  the 
best  fitted  of  Quimby's  followers  to  succeed  him.  But,  lack- 
ing the  confidence  to  take  over  the  work  of  a  master  hand, 
he  expressed  his  unfitness  and  declined  the  opportunity  which 
Mh-s.  Eddy's  appeal  put  before  him.  There  was  then  no 
resource  for  Mrs.  Eddy  save  to  apply  the  Quimby  method 
in  her  own  way. 

On  the  other  hand,  as  we  have  seen  above,  Mrs.  Eddy 
was  for  sometime  in  the  throes  of  proving  Quimby's  prin- 
ciple in  her  own  way.  With  no  healer  to  depend  on,  she 
had  to  look  to  that  principle  alone.  She  still  remained 
loyal  to  Quimby.  There  is  no  reason  for  believing  that  her 
attitude  toward  him  changed  in  any  way  until  sometime  in 
.  1872.  He  was  to  her  the  modern  representative  of  the  great 
saving  truths  taught  by  Jesus.  He  had  developed  the  method 
by  which  those  truths  could  once  more  be  applied  to  the 
healing  of  the  sick.  Her  own  necessity  had  proved  the 
efficacy  of  that  method  anew.  There  was  no  reason  for  any 
revelation.  There  was  no  reason  for  any  kind  of  claim  in 
her  own  behalf.  Her  revelation  was  simply  this:  that  when 
hard  pressed  she  too  could  demonstrate  the  wisdom  and  power 
of  the  Science  which  Quimby  had  taught.  It  always  comes 
to  a  person  with  the  force  of  a  revelation  when  one 
?  realizes  that  it  is  within  one's  power  actually  to  apply 
a  line  of  teaching  which  hitherto  has  seemed  so  wonderful 
that  apparently  its  discoverer  is  the  only  person  who  can 
V  demonstrate  it.  This  proof  of  his  teaching  was  precisely 
what  Dr.  Quimby  hoped  his  followers  would  make.  For, 
as  we  have  noted,  he  himself  made  no  special  claims.  He 
knew  that  his  teaching,  fundamentally  speaking,  was  eternally 
true.  He  knew  that  it  was  all  to  be  found  in  the  Bible. 
What  he  had  discovered  was  a-  new  key  to  unlock  supposed 
mysteries  which  had  been  kept  from  the  world  throughout 
the  Christian  centuries.  Years  of  experience  were  required 
on  Dr.  Quimby's  part  to  work  out  this  Science  and  to  prove 
its  efficacy.  Quimby's  followers  really  demonstrated  it  for 
themselves  only  so  far  as  they  added  to  the  great  work 
wrought  for  them  by  Quimby  the  personal  proof  which  ex- 
perience must  give.  Mrs.  Eddy's  case  was  no  exception.  A 
challenging  experience  gave  her  the  conclusive  evidence  that 
the  Science  of  the  Christ  had  been  brought  to  light  once  more. 

Some  allowance  must  always  be  made  for  the  personal 


162  MRS.  EDDY:  1862-1875 

equation.  Readers  of  the  works  of  Eev.  Warren  F.  Evans, 
the  first  author  to  produce  a  book  on  the  rediscovered  science 
of  healing,  have  found  in  that  vrriter's  six  volumes  one 
type  of  interpretation  of  Quimby's  teaching.  Well  versed 
in  philosophy,  the  teachings  of  Swedenborg,  and  especially 
in  the  idealism  of  Berkeley,  Evans  put  Quimby's  views  in 
terms  of  idealism,  with  scant  emphasis  on  the  realities  of 
the  material  world.  The  interpretation  made  by  Mrs.  Eddy 
went  farther  in  the  "same  direction,  that  is,  in  her  emphasis 
on  the  intelligence  and  power  of  spirit,  as  if  the  world  of 
nature  had  no  existencie.  The  original  sources  of  this  in- 
terpretation, as  based  on  Quimby's  writings,  have  never 
been  disclosed  until  the  publication  of  the  present  volume. 

The  direct  sources  were  "Questions  and  Answers,"  and 
Vol.  1  of  tlie  manuscripts,  supplemented  by  notes  based  on 
the  readings  and  conversations  in  Dr.  Quimby's  office.  Given 
Mrs.  Eddy's  version  of  Christian  Science  as  it  is  to  be  found 
in  her  vajious  books,  in  "The  Science  of  Man"  and  other 
gmall  writings,  and  in  the  different  editions  of  "Science  and 
Health,"  including  the  first,  tlie  reader  will  be  able  to  trace 
out  her  version  of  the  Quimby  theory  from  its  inception. 
Given  the  present  volume  in  its  fulness,  the  reader  will 
also  see  what  the  later  version  of  Christian  Science  might 
have  been  had  Mrs.  Eddy  enioyed  the  benefit  of  all  the 
Quimby  manuscripts.  For  .he  later  writings  are  in  various 
respects  correctives  of  the  view  which  underestimates  the 
place  and  reality  of  the  natural  world. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  trace  out  the  changes  made  in  the 
writings  which  were  in  Mrs.  Eddy's  possession.  The  manu- 
script known  as  "Questions  and  Answers"  ^  is  the  typical 
instance.  With  great  care  Miss  Milmine  ^  followed  all  these 
changes  throughout  the  period  which  intervened  between 
1866  and  1875,  when  Mrs.  Eddy,  then  Mrs.  Glover,  lived 
in  Maine  and  in  Stoughton,  Mass.  She  has  shown  how 
"Questions  and  Answers"  gradually  became  "The  Science 
of  Man,  by  which  the  sick  are  healed,  Embracing  Questions 
and  Answers  in  Moral  Science,  arranged  for  the  learner  by 
Mrs.  Mary  Baker  Glover,"  1870.  She  has  disclosed  the 
fact  that  this  manuscript  was  still  attributed  to  Dr.  Quimby 
while  Mrs.  Eddy  lived  in  Stoughton,  but  that  Mrs.  Eddy 

1  See  pages  165-178.  2  See  Appendix  page  435. 


MRS.  EDDY:  1862-1815  163 

introduced  a  preface  of  her  own  which  was  later  incorporated 
into  the  text,  which  in  turn  was  put  forth  as  Mrs.  Eddy's 
(Mrs.  Glover's)  own  during  the  period  of  her  work  in  Lynn. 
Thus  we  have  before  us  all  the  stages  which  led  from  entire 
fidelity  to  Quimby  to  the  latet  attitude  as  expressed  in 
"Science  and  Health"  after  the  first  edition.  Then,  too,  in 
the  New  York  Times,  July  10,  1904,  portions  of  "Questions 
and  Answers"  were  printed  side  by  side  with  passages  from 
"Science  and  Health,"  together  with  a  facsimile  showing 
emendations  in  Mrs.  Eddy's  copy  of  the  manuscript  in  her 
own  hand.  The  article  in  the  Times  was  conclusive  evidence 
regarding  this  important  transition  from  "Questions  and 
Answers"  to  "The  Science  of  Man."  All  that  was  needed 
to  make  the  textual  history  complete  was  the  publication 
in  full  of  "Questions  and  Answers"  in  the  present  volume. 

From  all  the  evidence  before  us  it  is  perfectly  clear,  that 
until  sometime  in  1872,  at  the  close  of  her  intermediate 
period,  Mrs.  Eddy  maintained  her  attitude  of  loyalty  to 
Quimby  as  expressed  in  her  letters,  1862-65,  and  her  news- 
paper contributions  and  lectures  of  those  years.  We  find 
her  in  the  Stoughton  period  still  attributing  "Questions  and 
Answers"  to  him  without  qualification.  After  that  time, 
as  Miss  Milmine  has  clearly  shown,  changes  in  terminology 
were  gradually  introduced,  and  Dr.  Quimby  was  no  longer 
mentioned  as  the  writer  and  discoverer.  What  followed  is 
not  for  us  to  chronicle  here. 

For  our  present  purposes  it  is  a  question  of  the  gradual 
development  of  Dr.  Quimby's  own  views,  which  have  reached 
a  certain  stage  of  clearness  only  in  the  case  of  "Questions 
and  Answers."  Dr.  Quimby  was  not  at  his  best  when  thus 
answering  questions,  but  rather  when  giving  the  silent  treat- 
ment and  conversing  with  his  patients.  While  ^frs.  Eddy 
was  limited  to  a  few  manuscripts,  in  so  far  as  she  copied 
or  rewrote  them  for  her  own  purpose  as  a  teacher,  she  had 
also  had  the  benefit  of  that  decisive  silent  healing  and  the 
touch  with  a  quickening  personality  which  gave  her  the 
directive  impetus  for  her  o^vn  work.  This  is  the  main  con- 
sideration. And  this  ought  not  to  be  lost  sight  of  in  our 
interest  in  tracing  the  vicissitudes  of  such  a  manuscript  as 
"Questions  and  Answers." 

For  better  or  worse,  that  manuscript  is  Quimby's.  We 
may   read  it  as   a  secondary   expression   of  what   Quimby 


164  MRS.  EDDY:  1862-1875 

believed,  or  we  may  read  it  to  see  just  how  it  led  to  the 
development  of  the  later  Christian  Science.  One  should 
guard  against  claiming  too  much  either  for  this  particular 
manuscript  or  for  the  use  to  which  it  was  put  by  Mrs. 
Eddy.  For  no  one  who  knows  the  facts  from  within  has 
ever  claimed  that  Dr.  Quimby  actually  wrote  Mrs.  Eddy's 
book,  "Science  and  Health."  What  has  been  claimed,  and 
rightfully  so,  is  that  from  Dr.  Quimby  in  the  period  under 
consideration  in  this  chapter  Mrs.  Eddy,  then  Mrs  Patterson, 
having  been  restored  to  health  by  the  great  healer,  whom 
she  publicly  acknowledged  as  working  by  the  truth  which 
Jesus  taught,  acquired  the  essential  ideas  and  methods  which 
gave  being  to  her  version  of  Christian  Science. 

"Question  and  Answers,"  used  as  the  basis  for  teaching 
for  several  years,  was  the  connecting  link.  The  "Science 
of  Man"  stands  for  another  link  in  the  chain  of  develop- 
ment, the  first  and  second  editions  of  "Science  and  Health" 
for  other  links.  To  understand  all  these  in  their  connection 
is  to  understand  the  origin  and  the  various  expressions  of 
the   later    Christian   Science. 


XIII 

QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS 

[In  order  to  clear  the  way  for  real  understanding  of  his 
theory,  Dr.  Quimby  wrote  in  February,  1863,  answers  to  fif- 
teen questions  put  to  him  by  one  of  his  patients.  Copies  of 
this  manuscript  were  kept  on  hand  to  loan  to  new  patients, 
and  some  of  the  patients  made  their  own  copies.  On  the  cover 
of  a  copy  made  in  June,  1862,  George  Quimby  has  written, 
"Mrs.  Patterson  first  saw  Dr.  Quimby  in  Oct.,  1863,  4  months 
after  this  was  written.  Questions  and  Answers.  Portland, 
June,  1863."  George  Quimby  loaned  a  copy  of  this  manu- 
script to  Miss  Milmine  when  she  was  tracing  out  the  various 
changes  made  in  "Questions  and  Answers,"  as  recorded  in 
her  "Life  of  JVIary  Baker  G.  Eddy."^  This  manuscript 
is  not  so  clear  as  the  brief  articles  printed  in  the  following 
chapter,  and  known  as  "Volume  I,"  also  loaned  to  patients 
and  Mrs.  Patterson-Eddy.  It  is  printed  as  originally  writ- 
ten, with  a  few  changes  in  punctuation  and  capitalization  to 
conform  to  writings  of  the  same  y^ar.  Obscure  points  will 
be  made  plain  by  selections  from  liiter  articles,  in  Chapters 
XV-XVIIL] 

Question  1.  You  must  have  a'  feeling  of  repugnance 
towards  certain  patients.  How  do  you  overcome  it  and  how 
can  I  do  the  same? 

Answer.  In  order  to  make  yoi*  fully  understand  how  I 
overcome  the  repugnance  it  will  require  some  little  expla- 
nation of  my  mode  of  curing,  for  .ny  cures  are  in  my  belief 
or  wisdom,  and  the  patient's  disea9j3  is  in  his  belief  or  knowl- 
edge. Now  my  wisdom  is  not  knowledge,  for  what  a  man 
thinks  he  knows  is  knowledge  or  opinion,  but  what  is  wisdom 
to  a  man,  he  has  no  opinion  about.  As  God  is  Wisdom, 
Wisdom  is  Science  and  we  call  th'e  proof  of  getting  Science 
knowledge,  belief  or  reason ;  but  when  the  answer  comes, 
our  knowledge  vanishes  and  we  a.'e  swallowed  up  in  God  or 
Wisdom.     The  sick  are  strangers  to  this  Wisdom,  being  led 

1  See  Appedix,  "The  Quimby-Eddy  .  Controversy." 

165 


166  QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS 

by  false  guides  without  it,  who  have  eyes  and  see  not,  ears 
and  hear  not,  and  hearts  tliat  cannot  understand,  therefore 
like  strangers  they  are  at  the  mercy  of  every  one's  opinion. 
Having  a  strong  desire  for  wisdom  or  health,  they  call  on 
every  one  for  their  food  or  wisdom.  So  when  they  ask  for 
bread  they  receive  a  stone,  or  for  water  they  receive  vinegar, 
and  thus  they  are  driven  like  sheep  to  the  slaughter,  not 
daring  to  open  their  mouths.  This  is  the  state  of  the  pa- 
tient who  asks  the  above  question.  My  wisdom  sees  their 
condition,  feels  their  woes  and  comes  to  the  rescue,  but  to 
get  them  from  their  enemy  is  often  an  arduous  task.  The 
repugnance  of  which  you  speak  is  not  towards  their  per- 
sonal senses,  but  to  the  ideas  their  senses  are  attached  to. 
As  the  ideas  are  knowledge  to  them,  they  are  a  person  besides 
themselves  and  it  is  the  identity  disease  that  I  first  come 
in  contact  with.  This  is  what  I  have  to  annihilate,  and 
at  first  I  sometimes  feel  a  repugnance  towards  the  sick 
such  as  a  man  will  feel  in  entering  a  penitentiary  to  rescue 
a  victim,  who  has  been  innocently  confined,  the  disturbance 
of  the  rescue  sets  the  house  in  an  uproar,  the  victim  not 
knowing  the  cause  is  as  much  frightened  as  her  enemies. 
But  when  I  succeed  in  destroying  her  enemies  or  opinion  and 
get  her  to  wisdom  or  [h'3r  real]  self  she  receives  me  as  one 
who  has  saved  her  from  the  jaws  of  death.  This  to  her  is 
health  and  happiness.  "X'ou  say  how  can  I  do  the  same?  If 
you  believe  this  Wisdom  is  superior  to  opinions,  and  that  opin- 
ions are  nothing  but  error  that  man  has  embraced,  then  when 
you  come  in  contact  with  a  person  diseased,  your  wisdom  will 
throw  the  mantle  of  charity  over  their  errors,  if  it  is  for  the 
restoration  of  their  health.  But  if  the  repugnance  arises 
from  some  unknown  cause,  examine  yourself  and  see  if  the 
fault  lies  at  your  own  door!  If  not  you  may  be  sure  it  is  some 
false  opinion  in  the  person  that  troubles  them.  So  to  overcome 
their  evil  or  error,  pour  on  coals  from  the  fire  of  love  or  char- 
ity in  the  form  of  right  reason  till  you  melt  down  the  image 
of  brass  that  is  set  up  in  their  minds,  and  they  will  leave  their 
errors  and  embrace  the  truth.     This  is  heaven. 

2.  "You  say  when  you  l:now  a  thing,  it  is  not  an  opin- 
ion. I  can  understand  that,  but  how  may  I  be  really  sure 
I  know  a  tiling?  I  have  filt  perfectly  sure  of  a  thing  and 
still  afterwards  found  I  hid  been  in  error,  or  had  been 
mistaken." 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS  167 

Knowledge,  as  I  have  said,  is  not  wisdom,  but  it  may  be 
harmony  and  it  may  seem  like  wisdom.  Yet  there  is  a 
discord.  So  discord  is  harmony  not  understood.  To  know 
how  to  correct  this  harmony  or  knowledge  that  it  may  be 
wisdom  is  the  question  to  consider.  The  first  part  of  your 
question  where  you  say  "I  can  understand  that"  is  contra- 
dictory to  the  last  sentence,  showing  that  you  do  not  under- 
stand. Here  is  the  discord.  You  say  you  have  been  perfectly 
sure  of  a  thing  and  yet  found  you  have  been  mistaken.  Now 
if  your  wisdom  had  been  perfect,  in  the  thing  you  thought 
you  knew,  it  would  have  revealed  the  discord  or  error.  So  to 
purify  yourself  from  error  so  that  you  may  know  the  truth 
or  Wisdom,  is  a  process  of  reasoning  outside  of  matter,  for 
there  is  no  wisdom  in  matter.  So  that  when  you  have  arrived 
at  a  truth,  if  you  find  it  attached  to  a  belief,  you  may  know 
it  is  not  a  truth,  for  it  may  change ;  but  this  is  a  truth,  that 
a  belief  may  be  changed.  God  is  Truth  and  there  is  no  other 
truth,  and  if  we  know  God  the  same  is  known  to  us.  I  will 
now  try  to  attach  your  senses  to  God,  not  the  God  of  this 
world  or  Christian's  God;  but  the  God  of  the  living,  and 
not  of  the  dead.  My  God  is  my  standard  of  truth,  and  as  I 
know  God  the  same  is  known  to  me.  I  know  I  am  writing 
this  if  I  know  anything,  but  to  know  that  I  shall  finish  it 
admits  a  doubt  and  to  know  that  you  will  understand  it 
admits  more  doubt.  This  doubt  is  not  wisdom  but  belongs 
to  that  class  of  man's  inventions  called  reason,  knowledge, 
etc.  God  is  not  seen  in  this  question,  perfect,  except  as  far 
as  I  see,  but  He  is  seen  in  the  clouds  of  my  knowledge.  When 
you  read  this  if  you  understand  it,  then  you  will  see  God  face 
to  face  but  not  as  Moses  did.  I  await  your  answer,  to  know 
whether  He  does  appear  to  your  understanding;  if  so  then 
here  is  your  proof  that  you  are  born  of  God  in  this  one  thing : 
then  you  cannot  know  anything  more  so  far  as  this  question 
goes.  Man's  God  is  all  the  time  listening  to  his  prayers  and 
setting  all  sorts  of  trouble.  My  God  does  not  act  at  all.  He 
has  finished  His  work  and  leaves  man  to  work  out  his  happi- 
ness according  to  his  own  wisdom.  I  will  give  you  the 
attributes  of  my  God.  The  Wisdom  or  God  is  in  this  letter, 
and  if  you  understand,  you  will  hear  His  voice  saying  I  under- 
stand this.  So  the  understanding  is  God,  for  in  that  there 
is  no  matter,  and  to  understand  is  Wisdom,  not  matter,  and 
to  know  wisdom  is  to  know  God,  for  that  is  Wisdom.     I 


168  QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS 

will  give  you  some  ideas  of  God,  reduced  to  man's  knowledge. 
All  science  is  a  part  of  God,  and  when  man  understands 
Science  the  same  is  known  to  God;  but  the  world's  God  is 
based  on  man's  opinion  and  right  and  wrong  is  the  invention 
of  man,  while  God  is  in  their  reason,  but  not  known.  Here 
is  an  illustration.  The  bells  are  ringing.  I  walk  to  church 
and  take  a  seat.  The  minister  opens  the  Bible  and  reads  the 
text  from  John.  The  fact  of  going  to  church,  and  seeing  the 
minister  is  known  to  me,  but  there  might  be  a  doubt  in  re- 
gard to  the  Bible,  for  it  might  be  another  book.  This  last 
I  admit  with  a  doubt,  and  also  the  verse  and  chapter  is  a 
doubt.  He  reads  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  John,  36th  verse, 
where  Peter  says,  "Lord,  why  cannot  I  follow  thee  now?  I 
will  lay  down  my  life  for  thy  sake."  All  the  above  as  far 
as  words  go  is  true,  but  when  he  comes  to  explain  where 
Jesus  went,  when  He  came  back,  or  if  He  went  at  all,  and 
why  His  wisdom  was  knowledge,  he  reminded  me  of  Paul's 
words:  "All  men  have  knowledge,  knowledge  puffeth  up, 
charity  or  wisdom  edifieth."  I  could  see  nothing  but  an  opin- 
ion of  what  he  had  no  wisdom,  a  parable  of  something  which 
he  might  know  as  a  belief  but  not  wisdom.  The  explanation 
of  the  Bible  is  founded  on  man's  opinion,  and  not  on  Wisdom. 
The  Bible  contains  Wisdom,  but  it  is  not  understood,  and 
to  prove  a  thing  is  to  put  your  proof  into  practice,  for  all 
men  can  give  an  opinion.  Jesus  came  into  the  world  not  to 
give  an  opinion,  but  to  bring  light  into  the  world  upon  some- 
thing that  was  in  the  dark.  What  was  it?  where  was  it? 
how  did  He  describe  it  ?  and  what  was  the  remedy  ?  He  tells 
the  story  Himself,  where  He  called  His  disciples  together  and 
gave  them  power  or  wisdom.  Now  if  it  was  power  and  not 
wisdom,  then  He  knew  not  what  Wisdom  was.  So  far  as  I 
can  see,  it  admits  a  doubt,  but  I  have  no  doubt  of  what  He 
meant  to  command  them  to  do.  In  Math,  Ch.  XI.  He  went 
to  preach,  and  put  His  preaching  into  practice.  John  was  cast 
into  prison  for  preaching  the  coming  of  some  one  who  would 
put  this  great  truth  into  practice,  so  he  sent  one  of  his  dis- 
ciples to  Jesus  to  inquire  if  He  was  the  one  that  was  to  come, 
or  do  we  look  for  another.  Now  what  was  He  to  come  for? 
Jesus  answers  this  question  when  He  said,  "Go  tell  John 
the  things  you  have  seen  and  heard,  how  the  blind  receive 
their  sight,  etc."  After  telling  how  John  or  this  truth  had 
suffered,  how  it  had  been  put  down  by  force,  He  made  a  para- 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS  169 

ble  of  the  ignorance  of  his  generation.  "We  have  piped 
unto  you  and  ye  have  not  danced."  Then  giving  a  state- 
ment about  error.  He  says  "Oh  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and 
earth,  because  thou  hast  hidden  this  truth  from  the  wise 
and  revealed  it  unto  babes,"  even  so  is  it.  All  things  con- 
cerning these  errors  are  revealed  unto  me  by  my  Father. 
No  one  knows  the  truth  but  the  Father,  save  the  son,  Jesus, 
and  those  to  whom  He  shall  teach  this  truth.  Then  He  says, 
"Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden  and  I 
will  give  you  rest,  take  my  yoke  upon  you  and  learn  of  me, 
for  my  burden  is  light."  You  see  that  His  labor  was  with 
the  sick,  and  not  the  well,  and  all  His  talk  was  to  explain 
where  the  people  had  been  deceived  by  the  priests  and  doctors, 
and  if  they  learned  wisdom  they  would  be  cured.  The  knowl- 
edge of  man  puts  false  construction  on  his  wisdom  and  gets  up 
a  sort  of  religion  which  has  nothing  to  do  with  Jesus'  truth. 
There  is  where  the  fault  lies.  If  you  do  not  believe  the 
Bible  as  they  explain  it  then  you  are  an  infidel.  So  all 
who  cannot  believe  it  as  it  has  been  explained,  must  throw 
it  away.  I  do  not  throw  the  Bible  away,  but  throw  the  ex- 
planation away,  and  apply  Jesus'  own  words  as  He  did  and 
as  He  intended  they  should  be  applied,  and  let  my  works  speak 
for  themselves,  whether  they  are  of  God  or  man,  and  leave  the 
sick  to  judge. 

3.  "Our  spiritual  senses  are  often  more  acute 
than  our  natural  ones.  What  is  the  difference?  What  do 
you  call  the  spirit-world?" 

I  will  try  to  explain  the  difference  between  spiritual  and 
natural  senses.  If  I  had  never  seen  you  and  wished  to  write 
you  a  letter  on  some  worldly  affair,  I  should  address  your 
natural  senses,  and  you  would  attach  yourself  to  my  knowl- 
edge. Suppose  yvDu  believe  what  I  say,  then  your  belief  is 
founded  on  my  knowledge.  This  belongs  to  the  natural 
world  and  your  happiness  or  misery  is  in  your  belief.  But 
I  have  sat  by  you  and  taken  your  feelings,  these  are  [disclosed 
by]  your  spiritual  senses,  not  wisdom  but  ideas  not  named 
or  classified.  In  the  spiritual  world  there  are  things  as  they 
are  in  the  natural  world  that  affect  us  as  much,  but  these  are 
not  known  by  the  natural  senses  or  wisdom.  The  separation 
of  these  is  what  Jesus  calls  the  Law  and  the  Gospel.  The 
natural  senses  are  under  the  law  governed  by  the  knowledge 
of  the  natural  world,  subject  to  all  the  penalties  and  punish- 


170  QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS 

ments  man  can  invent.  The  spiritual  senses  have  their 
spiritual  world,  with  [knowledge  of]  all  the  inventions  of  the 
natural  world,  but  the  communication  [relationship]  is  not 
admitted  by  the  natural  man  except  as  a  mystery.  There  is 
just  as  much  progress  in  the  spiritual  as  in  the  natural  world, 
and  the  Science  I  teach  is  the  wisdom  of  my  God  [applied]  to 
the  senses  in  the  spiritual  world.  So  it  requires  a  teacher 
to  teach  the  wisdom  of  God  in  the  spiritual  world,  as  well 
as  that  spiritual  wisdom  that  has  been  reduced  to  man's 
senses  in  the  so-called  science.  Paul  says  "How  shall  they 
believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard?  And  how 
shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher?"  And  how  shall  they 
teach  unless  they  be  sent  or  understand  how  to  teach?  I 
am  now  talking  to  your  spiritual  senses,  standing  at 
your  door,  knocking  with  my  wisdom  at  your  heart 
or  belief  for  admittance;  if  you  can  understand,  then  I 
will  come  in  and  drink  this  Truth  with  you,  and  you  with 
me.  This  is  the  spiritual  world  or  senses.  Suppose  you 
are  sick,  and  feel  you  need  a  physician;  then  is  the  time  you 
in  your  spirit  will  call  on  me,  or  my  spirit,  and  when  I  come 
if  you  know  my  voice  or  understand,  you  will  open  the  door, 
and  when  you  do  understand,  I  am  with  you. 

4.  "Is  not  one's  own  experience  wisdom  to  him  in  a  certain 
sense  ?" 

Wisdom  is  not  knowledge  but  the  answer  to  our  knowl- 
edge. But  in  error  knowledge  is  wisdom,  till  Wisdom 
comes.  For  example:  Suppose  I  make  a  sound,  that  is  not 
wisdom  but  a  sensation.  Suppose  you  try  to  imitate  it, 
this  process  is  called  knowledge  or  reason.  When  the  sound 
is  in  tone  with  me,  this  is  wisdom  not  understood.  So 
we  call  it  wisdom,  but  when  w^e  can  make  the  tone 
intelligently  and  teach  it  to  others,  then  the  tone 
is  the  effect  of  wisdom,  and  wisdom  comes  out  of 
the  discord.  Wisdom  is  always  the  same,  it  is  the 
point  of  all  attraction,  and  everything  must  come  to 
this,  it  is  harmony.  This  is  the  Christ.  True  Wisdom 
contains  no  matter,  false  wisdom  is  the  harmony  not  under- 
stood. I  will  illustrate:  Suppose  you  tell  me  a  story  that 
you  say  is  true,  but  you  get  your  information  from  another. 
I  believe  it  and  to  me  it  is  wisdom,  but  you  see  it  is  not 
wisdom,  for  there  is  a  chance  for  deception.  But  Wisdom 
leaves  no  loophole,  it  can  be  tested.     This  was  the  contro- 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS  171 

versy  of  Jesus.  The  priests  thought  their  opinions  were 
wisdom,  but  He  knew  they  were  false.  To  test  their  wis- 
dom was  to  put  it  into  practice,  so  every  one  was  to  be  known 
by  his  works,  whether  they  were  of  God  or  not.  Jesus 
showed  His  wisdom  by  His  works,  for  when  they  brought 
Him  the  sick  He  healed  them.  So  did  others  pretending  the 
same  way.  If  Jesus  knew  how  He  cured,  then  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  had  come  to  their  understanding;  but  if  He  did  not, 
then  He  was  just  as  ignorant  as  they  were,  and  the  world  was 
no  wiser  for  His  cures.  His  wisdom  was  from  above,  theirs 
from  man's  ignorance.  These  made  the  two  worlds.  Science 
and  error,  and  as  man  has  borne  the  one,  he  shall  also  bear 
the  other. 

5.  "Is  it  possible  for  one  t?o  condense  his  spiritual 
self  so  as  to  be  seen  by  the  natural  eye  of  others  as  Jesus 
did?" 

This  question  is  not  properly  stated.  Jesus  never  said 
He  had  a  spirit,  but  said,  "spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  blood, 
as  you  see  me  have."  There  was  the  rock  that  they  split 
upon.  Jesus'  wisdom  knew  that  it  was  not  in  the  idea 
body :  their  knowledge  made  mind  in  and  a  part  of  the  body. 
So  each  reasoned  according  to  their  wisdom.  Their  wis- 
dom was  their  opinion  about  what  persons  had  said  a  thou- 
sand years  before  without  any  proof  but  merely  as  an  opin- 
ion; this  they  called  knowledge.  Therefore  Jesus'  wisdom 
or  Christ  was  a  mystery  to  them.  So  when  Christ  or  Wis- 
dom spake  through  Jesus  saying,  "though  you  destroy  this 
temple  I  will  build  it  up  again,"  this  that  spoke  was  the 
wisdom,  so  the  builder  was  not  destroyed,  but  the  temple. 
But  they  believed  as  all  the  Christians  of  our  day  do,  that  the 
temple  and  the  builder  were  the  same;  so  that  when  the 
former  was  destroyed,  they  had  no  idea  of  what  Christ 
intended  to  do.  Here  comes  in  your  question.  The  Christ 
that  acted  upon  the  idea  "Jesus"  admitted  flesh  and  blood  as 
well  as  His  enemies,  but  His  wisdom  knew  it  was  only  an  idea, 
that  He  could  speak  into  existence  and  out.  So  when  they 
destroyed  the  idea  "Jesus"  they  destroyed  to  themselves 
Jesus  Christ,  or  mind  and  matter.  Now  when  this  Wisdom 
made  Himself  manifest  to  them,  they  thought  He  was  a 
spirit,  for  they  believed  in  spirits,  but  Christ  to  Himself 
was  the  same  Jesus  as  before;  for  Jesus  only  means  the  idea 
of  flesh  and  blood  or  senses,  or  all  that  we  call  man.     Now, 


172  QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS 

Christ  retained  all  this  and  to  Himself  He  had  flesh  and  blood. 
This  was  to  show  that  when  you  think  a  person  dead  he  is 
dead  to  you,  hut  to  himself  there  is  no  change,  he  retains  all 
the  senses  of  the  natural  man,^  as  though  no  change  to  the 
world  had  taken  place.  This  was  what  Jesus  wanted  to  prove. 
Man  condenses  his  identity  just  according  to  his  belief; 
this  all  men  do,  some  more  than  others.  I  cannot  tell  how 
much  I  can  condense  my  identity  to  the  sick,  but  I  know  I 
can  touch  them  so  they  can  feel  the  sensation.  To  me  I 
really  see  myself  but  I  cannot  tell  about  them.  I  will  try 
to  prove  the  answer  to  you.  When  you  read  this  I  will  show 
you  myself  and  also  the  number  of  persons  in  the  room  where 
I  am  writing  this.  Let  me  know  the  impression  you  may 
have  of  the  number.  This  is  the  Christ  that  Jesus  spoke  of. 
How  much  of  the  Christ  I  can  make  known  to  you,  I  wait 
your  answer  to  learn.  Eead  the  16th  Chap,  of  John;  He 
speaks  of  this  truth  that  shall  come  to  the  disciples  as  I 
am  coming  to  you.^ 

6.  "If  I  understood  how  disease  originates  in  the  mind 
and  fully  believe  it  why  cannot  I  cure  disease  ? 

If  you  understand  how  disease  originates,  then  you  stand 
to  the  patient  as  a  lawyer  does  to  a  criminal  who  is  to  be 
tried  for  a  crime  committed  against  a  law  that  he  is  ig- 
norant of  breaking,  and  the  evidence  is  his  own  confes- 
sion. You  know  that  he  is  innocent,  but  you  can  get  no 
evidence,  only  by  cross-questioning  the  evidence  against 
him.  Disease  has  its  attending  counsel  as  well  as  truth  or 
health,  and  to  cure  the  sick  is  to  show  to  the  judge  or  their 
own  counsel  that  the  witness  lies.  This  you  have  to  show 
from  the  witness'  own  story,  then  you  get  the  case.  The  er- 
ror is  on  one  side  and  you  on  the  other,  and  out  of  the  mouth 
of  the  sick  comes  the  witness.  I  will  first  state  a  case.  A 
sick  person  is  like  a  stranger  in  his  own  land,  or  like  an  ig- 
norant man  not  knowing  what  is  law  or  right  and  wrong 
according  to  law.  Both  are  strangers  and  both  are  liable  to 
get  into  trouble,  so  each  is  to  be  punished  according  to  the 
crime  he  has  committed.  Now  the  man,  ignorant  of  state 
laws  wants  a  horse,  seeing  one  he  takes  it,  not  knowing  that 

1  The  italics  are  Quimby's. 

2  That  is,  Dr.  Quimby  will  make  himself  known  by  means  of  an 
"absent  treatment,"  and  this  will  show  the  questioner  how  far 
Quimby  can  project  his  spiritual  self. 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS  173 

he  is  liable  to  any  punishment,  but  as  a  matter  of  conven- 
ience, and  when  he  has  used  him  as  much  as  he  pleases  he 
lets  him  go.  Now,  he  is  arrested  for  stealing,  and  being 
ignorant  he  is  cast  into  prison  to  await  his  trial.  I  appear 
against  him  as  state's  attorney,  and  you  appear  for  the 
prisoner.  All  the  testimony  is  on  my  side,  but  if  you  are 
shrewd  enough  to  draw  from  me  an  acknowledgment  that  the 
law  cannot  punish  a  man  that  is  ignorant  of  the  law  (and  not 
know  it)  after  I  have  shown  the  testimony  and  made  my 
plea,  then  if  you  can  show  that  the  prisoner  has  been  deceived, 
and  led  into  the  scrape  by  me,  I  having  received  pay  from 
him,  then  the  court  will  give  you  the  verdict,  and  arrest  and 
imprison  me.  A  sick  person  is  precisely  in  this  very  state. 
The  priests  and  doctors  conspire  together  to  humbug  the 
people,  and  they  have  invented  all  sorts  of  stories  to 
frighten  man  and  keep  him  under  their  power.  These 
stories  are  handed  down  from  one  generation  to  another 
till  at  last  both  priest  and  doctors  all  believe  they 
are  God's  laws  and  when  a  person  disobeys  one  he  is 
liable  to  be  cast  into  prison.  Suppose  you  are  a 
doctor  of  the  law  of  health  as  it  is  called,  and  you  call 
on  her  and  commence  explaining  the  necessity  of  being 
acquainted  with  the  laws  pertaining  to  health.  She  being 
ignorant  or  like  a  child  sees  no  sense  in  your  talk;  but  you 
continue  to  explain,  and  as  she  grows  nervous  you  keep  it  up 
till  she  shows  some  sign  of  yielding  to  your  opinion,  then  you 
tell  her  she  has  the  heart  disease,  or  lung  disease  and  it  will 
soon  be  found  out,  and  then  she  will  be  punished  with  death 
at  any  time  that  the  Judge  sees  fit  to  call  her.  In  her  fright, 
she  acknowledges  she  is  guilty,  then  you  enter  a  complaint 
against  her.  She  is  arrested  and  cast  into  prison,  there  to 
await  her  trial,  you  are  the  devil  or  error's  attorney  and  she 
is  the  Judge ;  she  is  brought  into  court  to  be  tried  by  error's 
tribunal.  Now  I  appear,  for  I  have  heard  her  story,  unknown 
to  the  judge  or  attorney.  I  have  the  evidence  and  see  that 
the  very  attorney  against  her  is  her  disease  and  the  author 
of  her  trouble.  This  I  keep  to  myself,  till  I  draw  from  the 
judge  that  a  person  cannot  be  tried  for  a  crime  which  they 
were  forced  to  commit.  This  being  done,  I  commence  my 
plea  for  tlie  victim  and  show  that  she  has  never  committed 
any  offense  against  the  laws  of  God  and  that  she  was 
bom  free,  etc.     Then  I  take  up  the  evidence  and  show  that 


174  QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS 

there  is  not  one  word  of  wisdom  in  all  that  has  been  said, 
also  that  she  has  been  made  to  believe  a  lie  that  she  might 
be  condemned.  In  this  way  I  get  the  case.  Disease  being 
made  by  a  belief,  or  forced  upon  us  by  our  parents  or  pub- 
lic opinion,  you  see  there  is  no  particular  form  of  agree- 
ment, but  everyone  must  suit  his  to  the  particular  case. 
Therefore  it  requires  great  shrewdness  to  get  the  better  of  the 
error :  for  disease  is  the  work  of  the  devil  or  error,  but  error 
like  its  father  has  its  cloven  foot  and  if  you  are  as  wise 
as  your  enemies  you  will  get  the  case.  I  know  of  no  better 
answer  than  Jesus  gave  to  His  disciples  when  He  sent  them 
forth  and  told  them  to  preach  the  truth  and  cure.  Be 
ye  wise  as  they  were,  or  serpents,  and  as  harmless  as 
doves,  that  is,  do  not  get  into  a  rage.  In  this  way  you  will 
annoy  the  disease  and  get  the  case,  Now  if  you  can  face  the 
error  and  argue  it  dovm,  then  you  can  cure  the  sick. 

7.  "I  can  see  this  belief  places  man  entirely  superior 
to  circumstances,  but  will  it  not  therefore  take  away  all 
desire  for  improvement  and  cause  invention  to  cease,  and  the 
whole  go  back  rather  than  progress,  and  cause  us  also  to 
become  indifferent  to  friends  and  social  relations,  and  say 
of  everything  that  it  is  only  an  idea  without  substance,  and 
so  take  away  the  reality  of  existence  ?" 

The  answer  to  this  is  involved  in  the  last.  You  can  answer 
it  by  your  own  feelings,  when  you  plead  the  case  of  the 
sick,  condemned  by  the  world,  cast  into  prison  with  no  one 
to  say  a  cheering  word,  but  left  to  the  cold  icy  hand  of  ig- 
norance and  superstition,  who  have  no  heart  to  feel  and 
whose  life  depends  on  its  destruction.  If  you  can  be  the 
means  of  pleading  their  case  and  set  them  free  from  their 
prisons  or  superstitions  and  error,  into  the  light  of  wisdom 
and  happiness,  there  to  mingle  with  the  well  and  happy, 
knowing  that  you  were  the  cause  of  so  much  happiness, 
would  it  not  be  enough  to  prompt  you  to  continue  your 
efforts  for  the  salvation  of  the  sick  and  suffering,  till  the 
great  work  of  reformation  is  completed?  You  may  answer 
for  yourself,  and  say  if  it  does  not  place  man  superior  to  the 
interests  of  this  world,  and  instead  of  taking  away  the  reality 
of  existence  it  makes  man's  existence  an  eternal  progression 
of  joy  and  happiness,  and  its  tendency  is  to  destroy  death 
and  bring  life  and  immortality  to  light. 

8.  "Suppose  a  person  kept  in  a  mesmeric  state,  what  would 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS  175 

be  the  result?  would  he  act  independently  if  allowed ?  If  not, 
is  it  not  an  exact  illustration  of  the  condition  we  are  in,  in 
order  to  have  matter  which  is  only  an  idea  seem  real  to  us, 
for  we  act  independently?" 

I  think  I  understand  your  question.  God  is  the  great 
mesmeriser  or  magnet,^  He  speaks  man  or  the  idea  into 
existence,  and  attaches  His  senses  to  the  idea  and  we  are  to 
ourselves  just  what  we  think  we  are.  So  [man]  is  a  mes- 
merised subject,  they  are  to  themselves  matter.  You  may 
have  as  many  subjects  as  you  will  and  they  are  all  in  the  same 
relation  to  each  other  as  they  would  be  in  the  state  we 
call  waking.  So  this  is  proof  that  we  are  affected  by  one 
another,  sometimes  independently  and  sometimes  governed 
by  others,  but  always  retaining  our  own  identity,  with  all 
our  ideas  of  matter  and  subject  to  all  its  changes,  as  real 
as  it  is  in  the  natural  or  waking  state. 

9.  "What  do  you  think  of  phrenology  ?" 

As  a  science  it  is  a  mere  humbug.  It  is  at  best  a  polite 
way  of  pointing  out  the  soft  spots  of  a  man's  vanity. 

10.  "What  is  memory,  or  that  process  by  which  we  re- 
call images  of  the  past?" 

I  have  explained  memory  in  that  class  of  reason  called 
knowledge.  It  is  one  of  the  chemical  changes  to  arrive 
at  a  fact,  matter  being  only  a  shadow.  When  the  senses 
are  detached  from  it  we  forget  the  shadow,  till  it  is  called 
up  by  another.  This  is  memory.  If  there  was  no  associa- 
tion there  could  be  no  memory  and  those  that  have  the  great- 
est amount  of  association,  and  least  wisdom  have  the  great- 
est memories.  Those  who  rely  on  observation  and  opinion 
as  the  laws  of  reason  have  great  memories,  for  their  life 
is  in  their  memory.  But  the  former  retain  their  reason  as 
it  is  called  and  are  forgetful  of  events.  Memory  is  the 
pleasure  or  pain  of  some  cause  or  event  that  affects  our 
happiness  or  misery,  or  it  is  something  ludicrous.  For 
Instance,  a  judge  hearing  one  tell  another  "his  coat-tail 
was  short,"  and  the  other  replied  "it  will  be  long  enough 
before  I  get  another"  attempted  to  repeat  the  joke,  but  he 
forgot  the  sympathy  or  music  in  it,  and  said,  "a  man  told 
another  his  coat-tail  was  short,  and  he  replied,  it  would  be 
a   long   time   before   he   got   another   one."     The   company 

1  Quimby  says  this  to  try  to  bring  meaning  from  an  obscure 
question.     He   uses   no   such   expression   in    his    other   writings. 


176  QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS 

failed  to  laugh  and  he  said,  "I  do  not  see  anything  to  laugh 
at  myself,  but  when  I  heard  it  I  laughed  heartily."  Mem- 
ory is  the  effect  of  two  ideas  coming  in  harmony  so  as  to 
produce  an  effect  that  leaves  a  scene  of  some  idea  either 
ridiculous  or  otherwise  embracing  so  many  combinations 
that  it  brings  up  the  scene.  Memory  is  one  of  the  senses  of 
man  and  will  exist  so  long  as  the  idea  matter  exists.^ 

11.  "What  became  of  the  body  of  Jesus  after  it  was  laid 
in  the  ground,  if  you  do  not  believe  it  rose  ?" 

Jesus  is  the  idea  "matter,"  so  those  that  believed  that 
Jesus  Christ  was  one  believed  that  His  body  and  soul  were 
crucified.  Now  came  their  doubts  whether  this  same  idea 
should  rise  again.  Some  believed  it  would,  others  doubted. 
So  far  as  Christ  was  concerned,  all  their  opinions  had  no 
effect.  Christ  was  the  Wisdom  that  knew  matter  was  only 
an  idea  that  could  be  formed  into  any  shape,  and  the  life 
that  moved  it  came  not  from  it  but  was  outside  of  it. 
Here  was  where  their  wisdom  differed.  The  disciples  be- 
lieved that  the  wisdom  of  man  would  rise  out  of  the  error 
or  idea  *'man,"  or  matter,  and  matter  comes  under  the 
head  of  memory.  How  far  their  idea  of  Jesus  went  I  am 
unable  to  say.  Some  said  He  was  stolen,  others  that  He 
rose.  There  is  as  good  reason  for  believing  one  story  as 
another.  Now,  Jesus  said  nothing  about  it.  Now,  I  take 
Christ's  own  words  for  truth  when  He  said  touching  the 
dead  that  they  rise,  "God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of 
the  living."  He  knew  that  they  could  not  understand,  but 
to  Himself  Christ  went  through  no  change.  To  His  dis- 
ciples He  died.  So  when  they  saw  Him  they  were  afraid 
because  they  thought  He  was  a 'spirit,  but  Christ  had  not 
forgotten  His  identity  Jesus,  or  flesh  and  blood.  So  He 
says,  "a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones  as  you  see  me 
have."  If  Christ's  believers  of  this  day  could  have  been 
there  with  their  present  belief,  I  have  my  doubts  whether 
they  could  have  seen  or  even  heard  any  sound.  Yet  I 
believe  Christ  did  appear  and  show  Himself  as  dense  as  their 
belief  could  be  made,  but  their  unbelief  made  the  idea 
so  rarified  that  it  was  a  spirit.  These  are  my  ideas  of  the 
resurrection  of  Christ.  But  Jesus  [according  to]  the  world's 
idea  (if  the  people  were  as  they  are  now)  was  withiout  doubt 

1  Elsewhere  Quimby   calls   matter  much   more  than  a   "shadow" 
or  "idea." 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS  177 

taken  away;  at  any  rate,  their  idea  man  never  rose.  Christ 
lost  nothing  by  the  change.  Every  person  rises  from  the  dead 
with  their  own  belief,  so  to  themselves  they  are  not  risen 
and  know  no  change,  and  the  dead  as  they  are  called  have 
no  idea  of  themselves  as  dead. 

12.  "Do  we  receive  impressions  through  the  senses  and 
do  they,  acting  upon  the  mind,  constitute  knowledge?" 

This  question  is  answered  by  Paul  to  the  Romans,  although 
he  did  not  use  the  same  words.  This  belief  means  faith,  the 
peace  in  the  truth  was  through  their  belief.  Hope  is  the 
anchor  made  fast  to  the  truth,  belief  is  the  knowledge  that 
we  shall  attain  this  truth,  so  that  we  glory  in  the  tribulation 
or  action  of  the  mind,  knowing  that  it  brings  patience  and 
patience  confidence  and  confidence  experience,  that  we  shall 
obtain  the  truth.  Knowledge  is  opinions,  so  when  an  impres- 
sion is  made  on  the  mind  it  produces  a  chemical  change, 
this  comes  to  the  senses  and  opens  the  door  of  hope  to  the 
great  truth.  This  hope  is  the  world's  knowledge  or  religion 
that  is  used  like  an  anchor  to  the  senses  till  we  ride  out  the 
gale  of  investigation  and  land  in  the  haven  of  God  or 
Truth. 

13.  "How  is  matter  made  the  medium  of  the  intelligence  of 
man?" 

There  are  two  ideas,  one  spirit  and  one  matter.  When  you 
speak  of  man  you  speak  of  matter.  When  you  speak  of  spirit 
you  speak  of  the  knowledge  that  will  live  after  the  matter 
is  destroyed  or  dead.  This  is  the  Christian's  wisdom.  With 
God  in  all 'the  above  is  only  opinions  and  ideas  without 
any  wisdom  from  God  or  Tnith.  All  the  above  is  embraced 
in  his  idea  as  an  illusion  that  contains  no  life  but  lives, 
moves,  has  its  being  and  identity  in  his  wisdom.  So  that 
to  itself  it  is  a  living,  moving  something  with  power  to  act 
to  create  and  destroy.  Its  happiness  and  misery  are  in  itself. 
So  when  its  shadow  is  destroyed  to  B  and  C  he  is  dead.  A 
loses  nothing  but  is  the  same  as  before,  but  to  B  and  C  lie  is 
dead.  So  the  sliadow  is  the  medium  of  truth  and  error,  to 
error  it  is  matter  but  to  Truth  it  is  an  illusion. 

14.  "Do  I  err  in  thinking  knowledge  the  effect  of  some 
influence  on  the  mind,  instead  of  something  independent 
of  the  whole  individual?" 

Knowledge  is  the  effect  of  an  influence  on  the  mind  and  is 
the  medium  that  carries  the  senses  to  this  great  Truth. 


178  QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS 

15.  "Can  any  one  bear  any  amount  of  excitement  and 
fatigue  without  a  reaction?" 

No,  no  more  than  a  mathematician  can  solve  every  problem 
without  a  reaction,  but  as  he  becomes  master  of  the  science, 
the  reaction  diminishes,  till  all  error  is  destroyed. 


Dr.  Quimby's  writings  are  not  to  establish  any  religious 
creed  or  bolster  up  any  belief  of  man,  but  they  are  simply 
the  out-pouring  of  a  truth,  that  sees  the  sick  cast  into  pris- 
on, for  no  other  cause  than  a  belief  in  the  opinions  of  man, 
there  to  linger  out  a  miserable  existence,  driven  from  so- 
ciety into  the  dark  cell  of  disease  where  no  friend  is  allowed 
to  enter  to  soothe  their  woes.  The  knowledge  of  this  con- 
dition is  known  to  him  from  their  own  feelings  and  calls  forth 
his  plea  in  their  behalf.  He  stands  to  the  sick  as  an  attorney 
to  a  criminal,  a  friend.  This  is  what  he  believes  Jesus 
intended  to  communicate  to  the  world  when  he  said,  "they 
that  are  well  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick." 
So  he  pleads  their  case  and  destroys  their  opinion,  breaks 
the  bars  of  death  and  sets  the  prisoner  free.  This  was 
Jesus'  religion,  that  he  believed,  taught,  and  practised.^ 

1  This  paragraph  was  added  by  Dr.  Quiimby  for  the  sake  of  the 
general    inquirer. 


XIY 

CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

[The  articles  published  under  this  head  constitute  Vol.  I 
of  the  Quimby  writings.  They  are  published  here  in  the 
order  in  which  they  were  copied  from  the  originals,  as 
written,  save  for  a  few  changes  made  under  Quimby's  super- 
vision, and  slight  condensations.  They  are  printed  in  this 
order  instead  of  being  arranged  in  connection  with  other 
pieces  on  the  same  topics,  because  they  were  the  first  papers 
containing  a  statement  of  the  general  theory,  and  the  copy- 
book containing  them  was  sometimes  loaned  to  patient- 
I  students,  including  the  one  who  made  liberal  use  of  their 
contents. 

In  these  studies  Quimby  speaks  of  mind,  in  the  ordinary 
sense  of  the  term,  as  a  "substance"  which  can  be  changed,  in 
which  thoughts  are  sown  as  seeds.  Mind  is  put  in  contrast 
with  intelligence  or  Wisdom.  Thus  intelligence  is  said 
to  possess  an  "identity"  or  reality  which  mind  does  not  have. 
The  next  step  is  to  show  that  the  himian  soul  has  clair- 
voyance or  intuition,  independent  of  the  natural  senses. 
This  fact  Quimby  had  proved  by  repeated  experiments  in 
diagnosing  the  sick. 

The  term  "matter"  is  used  in  a  peculiar  sense  throughout, 
to  cover  the  processes  of  change  attendant  upon  suggestion 
and  taking  place  subconsciously.  "Thoughts  are  things," 
later  writers  have  said. 

One  of  the  copybooks  containing  these  studies  has  emen- 
dations in  pencil,  made  under  Quimby's  directions  by  Miss 
Sarah  Ware,  in  preparation  for  a  book.  The  following 
introductory  note  by  Dr.  Quimby  is  written  on  the  page 
opposite  the  first  article.  It  is  given  here  word  for  word 
as  written.] 

It  will  be  necessary  to  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  what 
suggested  the  following  article,  headed  Mind  is  Spiritual 
Matter.  I  found  that  by  the  power  of  my  own  mind  I 
could  change  the  mind  of  my  patient  and  produce  a  chemi- 
cal change  in  the  body,  like  dissolving  a  tumor.     Now  the 

179 


180  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

word  mind  is  not  the  substance,  only  the  name  of  the  sub- 
stance that  can  be  changed.  The  world  makes  mind  intelli- 
gence, i.  e.,  direction.  I  put  no  intelligence  in  it,  but  make 
it  subject  to  intelligence.  The  word  fire,  for  instance,  doesn't 
mean  the  substance  to  be  consumed  but  the  process  of  con- 
suming it.  '  So  mind  is  the  name  of  a  spiritual  substance^ 
that  can  be  changed.  We  speak  of  a  cold  fire  or  a  hot  fire, 
yet  we  do  not  mean  that  the  fire  itself  is  cold  or  hot,  only 
that  we  make  it  hotter  or  colder;  yet  it  is  fire,  subject  to 
our  direction.  Wisdom  I  do  not  use  in  this  piece.  I  call  the 
power  that  governs  mind,  spirit.  But  you  will  see  that  I 
recognize  a  Wisdom  superior  to  the  word  mind,  for  I  always 
apply  the  word  mind  to  matter,  but  never  apply  it  to  the 
First  Cause. 

MIND   IS    SPIRITUAL   MATTER 

Thought  is  also  matter,  but  not  the  same  matter,  any  more 
than  the  earth  is  the  same  matter  as  the  seed  which  is  put 
into  it.  Thought  like  the  seed  germinates  and  comes  forth, 
like  the  tree,  in  the  form  of  an  idea.  It  then  waits  like 
the  fruit  to  be  eaten.  Curiosity  is  excited  and  wants  to  be 
gratified;  it  tastes  and  then  inquires;  the  answer  comes  and 
the  spirit  is  affected  in  proportion  to  the  answer.  Illus- 
tration: A  thought  is  sown  in  the  mind  while  asleep  or 
ignorant,  it  grows  and  comes  forth.  The  curiosity  tastes; 
it  produces  a  strange  sensation  in  the  throat.  The  spirit 
inquires,  the  answer  comes,  Bronchitis.  The  spirit  is  dis- 
turbed and  tries  to  rid  itself  of  its  enemy.  This  disturbance 
is  the  effect  called  disease.  Now  if  no  name  had  been  given 
or  fears  excited,  the  idea  or  tree  would  have  died  of  itself. — 
Oct.  1859. 

WHAT  IS   DISEASE? 

.Disease  Js  what  follows.  t.he__diaturbance  of  the  mind 
or  spiritual  matter.  When  I  speak  of  disease  1  do  not 
mean  to  confine  the  word  to  any  particular  phenom- 
enon or  disturbance  of  the  mind,  but  that  mind  is 
disturbed  like  the  soil  of  the  earth  ready  to  receive  the  seed. 
This  disturbance  contains  no  knowledge  or  thought,  any 
more  than  a  house  on  fire  which  disturbs  the  inmates  or 
spirits,  who  flee  out,  not  knowing  the  cause.     It  embraces 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  181 

mind  without  truth  or  error,  like  weight  set  in  motion  with- 
out direction.  Weight  like  mind  could  never  set  itself  in 
motion,  but  being  set  in  motion  it  is  called  mechanical 
power.  So  is  mind  set  in  motion  spiritual  power.  Both  are 
governed  by  laws  of  truth  or  error,  the  fruit  shows  which  of 
the  two  powers  governs.  If  it  is  directed  by  the  wisdom  of 
God  no  bad  results  can  follow,  but  if  directed  by  error  and 
ignorance,  as  ignorance  is  the  enemy  to  truth,  the  truth 
will  show  which  governs.  As  there  is  no  knowledge  in  error, 
it  sometimes  happens  that  some  results  follow,  as  it  did  in 
the  case  of  selling  Joseph  to  the  Ishmaelites.  They,  it  is 
said,  meant  it  for  evil,  but  God  meant  it  for  good.  Truth 
does  not  work  in  that  way  (that  is,  by  accident).  Truth 
works  by  laws,  like  mathematics; — error  like  chance. 

The  answer  may  come  right,  or  may  come  wrong  (in 
error)  either  way  it  contains  no  law  by  which  the  world  is 
wiser.  Ignorance  is  its  life  and  truth  its  death.  So  by 
error  comes  disease  or  death.  But  by  the  destruction  of 
error  comes  the  introduction  of  Truth  or  Science,  or  health; 
and  as  error  is  matter  or  mind,  it  is  the  instrument  of  its 
own  destruction.  The  matter  is  not  annihilated,  but  the 
opinion  is. 

The  combination  which  shows  itself  in  persons  in  the  form 
of  an  opinion,  indicates  its  character  by  a  peculiar  show  of 
wisdom  superior  to  its  followers,  and  when  disturbed  by 
Wisdom  or  Truth,  it  dies,  but  when  not  opposed,  its  opinions 
are  sown  into  the  minds  of  others,  like  seed  in  the  ground, 
which  comes  forth  in  some  form. 

This  form  which  follows  the  disturbance  of  the  mind  the 
doctors  call  disease.  Here  is  where  all  the  error  lies ;  they 
take  the  effect  for  the  cause.  We  confound  the  error 
and  truth  together;  we  take  an  opinion  for  a  truth.  This 
is  an  error,  for  what  we  know  we  have  no  opinion  of. 
Knowledge  is  the  destruction  of  an  opinion  or  disease. 
Disease  is  what  follows  an  opinion,  it  is  made  up  of  mind 
directed  by  error,  and  Truth  is  the  destruction  of  this 
opinion. 

These  ideas,  and  hundreds  of  others,  have  been  given  to 
explain  the  effect  of  the  mind.  All  admit  the  mind  one 
thing  and  disease  another.  This  theory  that  mind  is  one 
thing  and  disease  another,  has  left  the  people  in  darkness, 
and  caused  more  misery  than  all  other  evils  put  together. 


182  CHRIST  OB  SCIENCE 

It  has  always  been  admitted  that  a  theory  that  cannot  be 
put  in  practice  is  not  good. 

Mind  is  a  spiritual  matter  which,  being  agitated,  disturbs 
the  spirit.  This  disturbance  contains  no  knowledge  of 
itself,  but  produces  a  chemical  change  in  the  fluids  of  the 
system.  These  disturbances  may  be  produced  in  various 
ways,  for  instance,  by  a  shock  on  the  mind,  by  the  death  of 
a  friend,  or  by  religious  excitement,  witchcraft,  etc.  All 
of  the  above  contain  what  is  called  knowledge,  which  is 
communicated  to  the  spirit  and  sets  it  to  work  to  form  dis- 
ease, after  the  form  the  spirit  gives  the  mind.  The  mind 
being  the  matter  under  the  control  of  the  spirit,  is  capable 
of  producing  any  phenomenon. — Oct.  1859. 

HOW   DOES   THE  MIND   PRODUCE  DISEASE? 

I  will  give  the  symptoms  of  a  person  who  called  on  me  to 
be  examined.  The  upper  part  of  his  body  above  his  hips 
felt  so  large  that  his  legs  were  not  strong  enough  to  carry 
the  weight,  therefore  he  complained  of  weakness  in  his  knees. 
This  idea  of  weakness  was  in  his  mind,  for  there  never  was 
any  strength  or  knowledge  in  his  knees  of  themselves,  any 
more  than  there  is  power  in  a  lever  of  itself.  If  the  lever,  or 
legs,  had  to  create  its  own  power  his  body  would  never  move. 
Therefore,  if  his  body  ever  moved,  it  must  be  by  some  power 
independent  of  his  knees  or  legs.  There  is  such  a  thing  as 
pressure,  but  pressure  is  not  power,  for  it  contains  motion  and 
motion  is  another  element. 

These  two  elements  together  we  call  mechanical  power,  so 
mind  agitated  is  called  spiritual  power.  Neither  matter  nor 
mind  contains  any  knowledge.  As  this  man's  mind  was  in 
a  state  in  which  it  contained  motion  or  error,  (for  error  is 
motion,  not  knowledge),  it  was  not  all  pressure.  As  health 
is  the  enjoyment  of  all  our  faculties,  any  foreign  substance 
trigs  the  wheels  so  as  to  retard  the  motion,  so  error  trigs 
the  mind  or  retards  the  motion.  This  was  the  state  of  this 
man's  body.  To  put  this  man  in  full  possession  of  his  facul- 
ties is  to  remove  the  burden  that  binds  him  down.  These 
burdens  are  the  effect  of  error  having  control  of  the  mind. 
These  errors  are  made  of  mind  or  matter  first  formed  into  an 
opinion,  then  comes  reason,  then  comes  disease  or  death,  ac- 
companied by  all  the  misery  the  idea  contains. — Oct.  1859. 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  183 


MIND  IS   NOT  INTELLIGENCE 

Intelligence  contains  no  thought,  nor  opinion  or  reason. 
Mind  contains  them  all.  Disease  is  the  offspring  of  the  mind, 
not  of  intelligence.  All  the  above  is  the  result  of  a  chem- 
ical change,  to  bring  about  and  develop  some  scientific  law 
that  will  put  man  in  possession  of  a  knowledge  of  himself, 
so  that  he  will  avoid  the  evils  which  man  [through  his  ignor- 
ance] is  subect  to. 

Thoughts  are  like  electric  sparks.  Knowledge  classifies 
and  arranges  them  in  a  language  nearer  itself  so  as  to  use 
them  for  a  iruedium  with  which  to  communicate  an  idea  to 
another.  This  is  the  state  of  all  men.  Under  this  state  of 
mind  all  the  laws  of  science  have  been  developed.  Every 
day  brings  to  light  some  new  idea  not  yet  developed,  but 
bursting  forth  to  the  natural  world.  During  this  process,  the 
mind  undergoes  very  powerful  changes  which  affect  the  body, 
even  to  the  destruction  of  the  same.  But  this  destruction 
contains  no  wisdom,  it  is  only  the  destruction  of  the  idea. 
The  effect  still  agitates  the  mind  till  its  end  is  accomplished. 
Then  the  mind  returns  to  its  quiet  state,  and  the  law  is 
understood. 

While  all  this  is  going  on,  as  in  all  sciences,  ideas  come 
forth  and  the  minds  are  affected,  and  try  for  the  prize;  for 
instance,  the  idea  of  navigating  the  air.  All  minds  are 
excited.  Experiments  are  tried ;  accidents,  as  they  are  called 
happen,  and  lives  are  lost  to  this  world  of  error.  But  that 
which  governs  life  cannot  be  lost,  but  must  mingle  in  with 
the  idea  of  progression — not  losing  its  identity.  What  man 
loses  in  weight  or  matter,  he  makes  up  in  science  or  knowl- 
edge. Therefore,  accidents  as  they  are  called  must  happen, 
and  we  say,  woe  to  them  that  are  affected;  it  would  have 
been  better,  as  we  think,  if  they  had  never  been  born. 
This  would  be  true,  if  it  were  the  end  of  their  existence. 
Now  as  these  laws  develop  themselves,  is  the  trouble  in  the 
laws  or  in  ourselves?  Accidents  are  the  errors  or  diseases. 
Correcting  these  errors  and  establishing  the  Truth  or  Science 
is  curing  the  disease  or  establishing  the  law. 

I  have  said  that  wlien  any  new  idea  comes  up  a  class  of 
persons  enter  into  the  investigation  of  it,  but  very  few  are 
ever  able  to  put  the  idea  into  practice,  or  get  the  prize, 
though  most  all  can  understand  something  of  the  theory. 


184  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

There  is  a  vast  difference  between  talking  a  theory, 
and  talking  about  a  theory.  Talking  about  a  theory  is  like 
talking  about  a  science  we  do  not  understand ;  it  contains  no 
wisdom.  Wisdom  contains  no  opinion  or  selfishness;  and, 
like  charity,  has  no  ill  will  towards  its  neighbor,  but  like 
the  rays  of  the  sun,  is  always  ready  to  impart  heat  to  all 
who  will  come  to  the  light. 

To  cure  a  disease  is  to  understand  the  law  by  which  that 
disease  was  produced.  To  make  it  more  plain,  I  will  sup- 
pose a  case.  In  supposing  a  case  the  person  you  address  must 
suppose  himself  perfectly  well.  Now  as  thoughts  contain 
a  substance  set  in  motion  by  error  to  form  an  idea,  this  sub- 
stance acts  upon  another  like  a  galvanic  battery,  and  keeps 
up  a  deposit  of  thought  till  the  idea  is  formed  in  the  mind. 
These  thoughts  may  arise  from  different  causes.  I  will  select 
one.  Suppose  you  become  acquainted  with  a  person,  the  first 
impression  is  a  shock  from  his  mind,  this  shock  is  kept  up  till 
an  idea  is  formed  in  your  mind.  The  motive  or  disease  is  in 
the  idea  of  the  person  from  whom  you  receive  the  shock.  To 
you  it  contains  no  knowledge.  You  receive  it  as  a  sweet  mor- 
sel that  you  can  roll  under  your  tongue.  You  nurse  and  fos- 
ter it  in  your  breast  till  it  becomes  a  part  of  yourself.  You 
form  a  strong  attachment  for  it,  and  as  it  contains  the  char- 
acter of  this  father,  you  become  attached  to  the  author. 
When  the  idea  becomes  developed  and  you  find  what  it  con- 
tains, you  see  you  have  been  fostering  a  viper,  that  will  sting 
you  to  the  heart.  Grief,  passion,  fear  and  love,  take  possession 
of  your  mind;  reason  enters  into  the  combination,  and  a 
warfare  commences.  Hatred  takes  the  place  of  love,  truth 
the  place  of  ignorance,  firmness  takes  the  place  of  weakness, 
and  a  battle  ensues.  As  truth  works  through  this  error  or 
disease,  wisdom  and  happiness  take  its  place,  the  evil  is  cast 
out,  the  author  or  idea  is  despised,  and  the  mind  is  changed. 
You  see  the  deception.  Your  knowledge  is  the  emancipa- 
tion of  the  error,  and  all  that  followed  it,  the  Truth  sets  you 
free  and  happy,  which  is  the  cure. 

Now  sensations  can  be  learned  ^  before  they  affect  the  body 
or  produce  disease,  so  that  they  [will]  fall  harmless  at  your 
feet.  It  is  necessary  that  all  persons  have  a  teacher,  till 
they  can  teach  themselves.  The  question  then  arises.  How 
can  a  person  believe  in  one  whom  he  has  never  heard,  and 

1  Our  aches  and  pains  may  be  more  wisely  interpreted. 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  185 

how  can  he  learn  without  a  teacher,  and  how  can  one  teach 
without  he  is  sent? — Nov.  1859. 

18  THE   CURING   OF  DISEASE  A   SCIENCE? 

I  answer,  yes.  You  may  ask.  Who  is  the  founder  of  that 
Science  ?  I  answer,  Jesus  Christ.  Then  comes  the  question, 
What  proof  have  you  that  it  is  a  science?  Because  Christ 
healed  the  sick,  that  of  itself  is  no  proof  that  He  knew  what 
He  was  doing.  I  answer,  If  it  was  done,  it  must  have  been 
done  by  some  law  or  science,  for  there  can  be  no  ^iich  thing 
as  accident  with  God,  and  if  Christ  was  God,  He  C''^  know 
what  He  was  doing.  When  He  was  accused  of  curing  u/^ease 
through  Beelzebub  or  ignorance,  He  said,  "If  I  cast  out 
devils  or  diseases  through  Beelzebub  or  ignorance,  my  kingdom 
or  science  cannot  stand;  but  if  I  cast  out  devils  or  disease 
through  a  science  or  law,  then  my  kingdom  or  law  will  stand, 
for  it  is  not  of  this  world."  When  others  cast  out  disease, 
they  cured  by  ignorance  or  Beelzebub,  and  there  was  no 
science  in  their  cures,  although  an  effect  was  produced;  but 
not  knowing  the  cause  the  world  was  none  the  wiser  for 
their  cures. 

At  another  time  when  told  by  His  disciples  that  they  saw 
persons  curing  or  casting  out  devils  in  His  name,  and  forbade 
them.  He  said,  "They  that  are  with  us  are  not  against  us, 
but  they  that  are  not  with  us,  or  are  ignorant  of  the  laws  of 
curing,  scattereth  abroad,  for  the  world  is  none  the  wiser." 
Here,  you  see,  He  makes  a  difference  between  His  mode  of 
curing  and  theirs.  If  Christ's  cures  were  done  by  the  power 
of  God,  and  Christ  was  God,  He  must  have  known  what 
that  power  or  science  was,  and  if  He  did.  He  knew  the  differ- 
ence between  His  science  and  their  ignorance.  His  Science 
was  His  Kingdom  therefore  it  was  not  of  this  world,  and 
theirs  being  of  this  world.  He  called  it  the  kingdom  of  dark- 
ness. To  enter  into  Christ's  Kingdom  or  Science,  was  to 
enter  into  the  laws  or  knowledge  of  curing  the  evils  of  this 
world  of  darkness.  As  disease  is  an  evil,  it  is  of  this  world, 
and  is  in  this  kingdom  of  darkness.  To  separate  one  world 
from  the  other,  is  to  separate  the  truth  from  the  error,  and 
as  error  is  death  and  truth  is  lif6,  the  resurrection  of  one  is 
the  destruction  of  the  other.^ — Nov.  1859. 

1  Thia  is  the  first  article  in  which  Dr.  Quimbv  identifies  Science 
with  Christ.     Later  he  used  the  term  Christian  Science. 


186  CHRIST  OB  SCIENCE 

18   DISEASE  A   BELIEF? 

I  answer  it  is,  for  an  individual  is  to  himself  just  what  he 
thinks  he  is,  and  he  is  in  his  behef  sick.  If  I  believe  I  am 
sick,  I  am  sick,  for  my  feelings  are  my  sickness,  and  my  sick- 
ness is  my  belief,  and  my  belief  is  my  mind.  Therefore, 
all  disease  is  in  the  mind  or  belief.  Now  as  our  Belief  or 
disease  is  made  up  of  ideas,  which  are  [spiritual]  matter,  it  is 
necessary  to  know  what  beliefs  we  are  in ;  for  to  cure  the  dis- 
ease is  to  r-orrect  the  error,  and  as  disease  is  what  follows  the 
error,  ''lestroy  the  cause,  and  the  effect  will  cease.  How  can 
this  be  done?  By  a  knowledge  of  the  law  of  harmony.  To 
illustrate  this  law  of  harmony  I  must  take  some  law  that 
you  will  admit.  I  will  take  the  law  of  mathematics.  You 
hear  of  a  mathematical  problem,  you  wish  to  solve  it;  the 
answer  is  in  the  problem,  the  error  is  in  it,  the  happiness 
and  misery  are  also  in  it.  Your  error  is  the  cause 
of  your  sickness  or  trouble.  Now  to  cure  your  sickness 
or  trouble,  is  to  correct  the  error.  If  you  knew  the  real  state 
of  things,  you  would  not  call  on  a  person  who  knows  no  more 
than  you  do,  if  you  knew  that  fact. — Nov.  1859. 

LIFE  AND  DISEASE 

True  life  is  health,  knowledge,  and  happiness.  Death  is 
disease,  error,  misery  and  pain;  all  in  this  belief.  Each  of 
the  above  is  called  our  knowledge,  and  to  believe  in  one  is  to 
disbelieve  in  the  other,  for  our  life  is  in  our  belief.  Death 
is  the  destruction  of  the  one,  and  the  life  of  the  other,  or  the 
disbelief  of  the  one,  and  the  belief  of  the  other.  Christ 
came  to  destroy  death  or  belief,  and  bring  life  and  immor- 
tality to  light,  and  tliis  life  or  belief  was  in  Christ.  They 
that  lost  their  life  or  belief  for  his  sake  should  find  it.  Upon 
this  rock  I  build  my  faith,  and  the  gates  of  death  cannot 
change  me.  Now  your  life  is  in  your  belief,  and  you  are 
known  by  the  fruits.  As  I  impart  my  Truth  to  you,  it  is  your 
life  or  health.     As  you  receive  my  life  you  die  to  your  own. 

My  life  in  you  grows  to  a  truth  and  this  is  your  health 
or  happiness. — Nov.  1859. 

DISEASE 

What  is  disease?  It  is  what  follows  the  effect  of  a  false 
direction  given  to  the  mind  or  spiritual  matter.     The  body 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  187 

is  composed  of  matter,  not  mind,  but  when  agitated,  that 
part  which  is  called  heat,  and  is  thrown  off,  is  mind  or  spirit. 
It  is  not  intelligence,  but  a  medium  to  be  used  according 
to  the  direction  given  it,  by  a  power  independent  of  itself, — 
like  that  direction  given  to  mechanical  power.  The  effect 
of  this  direction  (call  it  what  you  please)  on  the  body,  is 
to  destroy  itself,  for  its  life  is  its  own  destruction. — Dec. 
1859. 

LOVE,   1 

What  is  the  strongest  feeling  in  man  or  woman?  Love 
for  the  sake  of  love  for  others.  For  this  love  they  will  lay 
down  their  lives,  when  directed  by  knowledge,  for  no  passion 
can  follow  true  love.  What  makes  what  is  called  animal 
passion?  Ignorance  of  ourselves,  not  understanding  the 
truth.  Love  contains  no  fear;  ignorance  puts  a  false  con- 
struction on  love.  Here  lies  all  the  trouble.  Love  and  ig- 
norance are  the  mother  and  father  of  all  error  or  disease. 
Now  to  know  ourselves  is  to  know  the  truth  of  this  problem. 
Love  is  an  element  of  itself,  without  any  form ;  it  has  no 
length  or  breadth,  or  height  or  depth;  it  neither  comes  nor 
goes,  it  fills  all  space,  and  melts  all  error  down  that  comes 
within  its  power.  Its  power  is  its  heat,  its  heat  is  its  love,  it 
is  heaven.  For  this  love  Christ  laid  down  His  animal  life  or 
passions  for  mankind,  that  they  might  understand  them- 
selves and  be  saved  from  the  endless  hell  of  misery  that  fol- 
lows our  ignorance  of  this  power  or  love.  On  these  two 
powers,  love  and  ignorance,  hang  all  the  law  and  the  proph- 
ets. The  gospel  is  love,  the  law  is  error ;  therefore  when  you 
are  under  the  law,  you  become  subject  to  the  laws  and  penal- 
ties. When  you  are  freed  from  that  law,  it  has  no  power 
over  you.  This  law  of  love  is  that  love  in  mankind  that  is 
working  in  us  or  our  error  to  bring  us  to  truth  and  set  us  free 
from  the  law  of  sin  or  death.  The  laws  of  love  are  the  de- 
struction of  the  laws  of  error,  and  they  make  us  a  law  to  our- 
selves. This  law  of  love  has  no  penalties  or  prisons ;  but,  like 
the  bird  that  flies  in  the  sky,  is  not  troubled  with  earthly 
laws,  but  is  a  law  to  itself.  Its  purity  is  its  buoyancy,  its 
ignorance  is  its  weight  or  stupidity.  Each  is  governed  by  a 
sort  of  intelligence,  like  science  and  ignorance.  As 
ignorance  and  superstition  are  what  are  under  the 
law  of  error.  Science  and  Truth  are  their  opponents,  and 


188  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

the  mind  is  the  medium  of  them  both,  like  the  telegraph- 
wire  a  medium  of  truth  and  error.  Love  is  a  substance 
like  food  that  comes  from  heaven  to  feed  the  soul.  Er- 
ror is  matter,  and  contains  reason  and  all  tbe  faculties. 
Love  is  the  true  answer  to  our  desire;  in  our  desire  is  our 
hope,  and  when  we  get  that  which  we  hope  for,  it  contains 
nothing  but  true  knowledge  or  love,  no  sorrow,  nor  pain, 
nor  grief,  nor  shame,  nor  fear. — Dec.  1859. 

WHAT  IS  MY  THEORY  ? 

The  question  is  often  asked,  if  I  am  a  spiritualist.  My 
answer  is  that  I  am  not,  after  the  manner  of  the  Eochester 
rappings,  but  I  am  a  believer  in  the  spirits  of  the  living. 
Here  seems  to  be  a  difference  of  opinion.  The  common 
opinion  of  the  people  in  regard  to  the  dead  I  have  no  sympathy 
with,  from  the  fact  that  their  belief  is  founded  on  an  opin- 
ion which  I  know  is  false ;  yet  I  believe  them  honest  but  mis- 
led for  the  want  of  some  better  explanation  of  the  phenomenon. 
We  see  men,  women,  and  children  walking  around,  by  and 
by  they  pass  away  from  us,  and  their  bodies  are  laid  in  the 
earth.  We  look  on  the  scene  and  pause.  A  cold  icy  sen- 
sation passes  through  our  frame.  We  weep  from  our  igno- 
rance. We  have  seen  the  matter  in  a  form  moving  about  as 
though  it  contained  life.  Now  it  lies,  cold  and  clammy,  and 
our  hope  is  cut  off.  Perhaps  it  is  a  son  or  daughter,  in  whom 
we  have  had  hopes,  raised  to  the  highest  extreme,  of  seeing 
them  stand  before  the  world,  loved  and  respected  for  their 
worth,  now  gone  forever.  Doubts  and  fears  take  possession 
of  our  minds.  We  want  to  believe  that  they  will  know  us, 
and  in  this  state  of  mind,  we  often  ask  this  lump  of  clay  if 
it  does  know  us,  but  no  answer  returns,  we  weep  and 
repeat  the  question.  No  answer  comes,  and  in  a  convulsive 
state  of  mind  we  leave  and  retire  to  some  lonely  spot  to  pour 
out  our  grief.  Some  kind  friend  tries  to  console  us  by  telling 
us  that  our  friend  is  not  dead,  but  still  lives ;  by  talking  what 
they  have  no  knowledge  of,  only  a  desire  that  it  may  be  so. 

Their  sympathy  and  ignorance  mingle  in  a  belief,  and  we 
try  to  believe  it.  This  is  the  state  of  the  people  in  regard  to 
the  dead.  Their  belief  arises  from  the  necessity  of  the  case, 
but  it  keeps  them  in  ignorance  of  themselves,  and  all  their 
life  subject  to  bondage. 

Now  where  do  I  differ  from  all  this  belief?     In  every 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  189 

respect.  My  belief  is  my  knowledge,  my  knowledge  is  my 
practice,  and  my  practice  gives  the  lie  to  all  my  former 
belief.  I  believed  as  all  others  did,  but  my  theory  and  practice 
were  at  variance  with  each  other.  I  therefore  abandoned 
all  my  former  beliefs,  as  they  came  in  contact  with  my 
practice,  and  at  last  followed  the  dictates  of  the  impressions 
made  on  me  by  my  patients.  In  this  way  I  got  rid  of  the 
errors  of  the  world  and  found  an  answer  to  all  my  former 
opinions.  These  former  opinions  embraced  all  sorts  of  dis- 
ease, and  ideas  that  contained  error,  disease  and  unhappiness, 
which  led  to  death.  The  imravelling  of  my  old  opinions 
gave  me  knowledge  of  myself,  and  happiness  the  world 
knew  nothing  of,  and  this  knowledge  I  found  could  be  taught 
to  others.  It  teaches  man  that  he  is  not  in  the  body,  but  out- 
side of  it,  as  much  as  the  power  is  outside  of  a  lever ;  and  the 
body  is  to  the  soul  as  the  steam  engine  is  t6  the  engineer — 
a  medium  without  knowledge  or  power,  only  as  it  is  given 
by  something  independent  of  itseK. — Jan,  1860. 

CLAIRVOYANCE 

Clairvoyance  is  a  state  of  existence  independent  of  the 
natural  senses  or  the  body,  which  has  no  matter  nor  reason, 
but  is  perfect  knowledge.  Thought-reading  is  a  lower  order 
connected  with  mind,  but  superior  to  the  natural  man.  This 
state  is  what  would  be  called  spiritualism,  and  contains  the 
knowledge  and  reasoning  of  this  world.  Clairvoyance  is 
a  higher  state  entirely  disconnected  with  the  natural  man,  but 
can  communicate  information  through  him  while  in  a  dreamy 
or  mesmeric  state  which  the  company  cannot  know.  This 
principle  is  in  every  man.*  The  understanding  of  it  is  eternal 
life.  This  eternal  life  was  in  Jesus,  and  was  Christ.  It 
has  manifested  itself  in  various  forms  in  all  ages  of  the  world, 
whenever  Science  has  been  discovered.  This  ignorance  of 
the  world  with  regard  to  this  higher  state  of  knowledge 
looks  upon  the  manifestions  of  the  thought-reading  state 
as  the  highest  development  of  man.  This  state  dies  and  the 
clairvoyant  state  rises  from  the  dead.  It  is  all  that  is  left. 
It  can  act  on  mind.  It  has  an  identity,  and  never  knew  of 
'ts  beginning  nor  ending.     It  is  all  the  intelligence  in  man.* 

1  That  is,  without  mediumship,  epiritism,  etc. 

2  Man's  true  intelligence  or  intuition. 


190  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

I 

LOVE,  II 

The  identity  of  woman's  soul  can  be  compared  to  a  fire, 
which  throws  an  equal  heat  on  all  around.  This  heat  is 
pure  love,  containing  no  knowledge,  no  selfishness,  but  is  like 
the  love  of  a  mother  for  her  child.  This  love  is  little  under- 
stood, and  causes  doubts  and  questionings.  It  is  an  element 
of  itself,  containing  no  matter  and  asks  nothing  in  return. 
Ignorance  and  superstition  put  false  construction  on  this  love, 
and  think  intelligence  is  contained  in  it.  Its  language  is 
itself.  It  speaks  not  as  man  speaks,  for  it  contains  no 
error.  It  answers  our  inquiry  by  an  impression  which  can- 
not be  misunderstood,  if  man  knows  himself.  This  love  is 
what  leads  man  to  truth.  When  I  speak  of  man,  I  speak 
of  the  errors  and  ignorance  of  the  world,  and  the  heat  that 
arises  from  this  error  contains  the  character  of  its  author. 
When  these  two  elements  meet,  which  I  will  call  man  and 
woman,  then  comes  the  temptation,  and  as  love  never  makes 
war  for  gain,  it  knows  no  evil.  As  error  contains  selfishness, 
dishonesty,  jealousy,  and  disease,  it  cannot  see  truth  or  love 
in  any  element  differing  from  its  own,  it  therefore  judges 
others  by  its  own  standard.  This  element,  when  excited  by 
love  to  lead  us  to  truth  contains  all  kinds  of  disease  and  error. 
All  mankind  embrace  both  elements,  and  the  separation  is 
the  resurrection  from  error  into  truth.  As  we  learn  the 
truth,  we  discard  the  error.  True  knowledge  is  in  true  love. 
False  knowledge  is  in  error.  As  God  is  in  the  former,  He 
contains  no  matter.  As  man  is  the  latter,  he  is  made  up  of 
truth  and  error.  Now  as  there  is  a  gradual  progression  from 
error  to  Wisdom,  our  identities  act  in  the  two  elements  of 
pure  and  combined  love;  for  man  has  two  elements,  and  is 
subject  to  the  one  which  he  obeys.  The  question  arises,  Are 
these  elements  capable  of  separation?  I  answer,  yes,  by  the 
mother  for  her  infant,  but  not  understandingly.  She  was  a 
law  to  herself,  and  did  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  with- 
out a  knowledge  of  that  law. — Dec.  1859. 

HOW    DR.    QUIMBY    CURES 

Every  phenomenon  in  the  natural  world  has  its  birth  in  the 
spiritual  world.^  The  world  gives  credit  where  it  is  not 
due,  mistaking  noise  for  substance.     No  man  should  have 

1  A  cardinal  proposition  with  Dr.  Quimby. 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  191 

any  credit  over  his  fellow  men  unless  he  shows  some  supe- 
riority over  tlie  errors  of  his  age.  To  show  that  he  is  supe- 
rior is  to  reduce  to  a  science  some  phenomenon  which  has 
never  been  explained,  music  for  an  example.  Before  music 
was  reduced  to  a  science  there  was  a  phenomenon.  People 
could  whistle  and  sing,  but  no  one  supposed  that  the  one  who 
made  the  most  noise  was  entitled  to  any  credit  above  the  rest. 
Credit  was  due  to  him  who  first  reduced  it  to  a  science. 

Take  diseases.  The  world  is  full  of  sickness,  arising  from 
various  causes, — the  plienomenon  exists  in  the  natural  world, 
while  the  causes  originate  in  an  invisible  world.  Doctoring 
is  confined  to  the  natural  world,  and  [it  attributes]  the  causes 
of  the  disease  to  the  natural  world. 

Dr.  Quimby,  with  his  clairvoyant  faculty,  gets  knowledge 
in  regard  to  the  phenomena,  which  does  not  come  through  his 
natural  senses,  and  by  explaining  it  to  the  patient,  gives  [an- 
other] direction  to  the  mind,  and  the  explanation  is  the 
science  or  cure.  To  illustrate:  suppose  a  patient  calls  on 
Dr.  Q.  for  examination.  No  questions  are  asked  on  either 
side.  They  sit  down  together.  He  has  no  knowledge  of  the 
patient's  feelings  through  his  natural  senses,  till  after  having 
placed  his  mind  upon  them.  Then  he  becomes  perfectly  pas- 
sive, and  the  patient's  mind  being  troubled  [this]  puts  him 
into  a  clairvoyant  state,  together  with  his  natural  state, 
thus  [he  is  in]  two  states  at  once ;  when  he  takes  their  feelings, 
accompanied  by  their  state  of  mind  and  thoughts.  A  history 
of  their  trouble  thus  learned,  together  with  the  name  of  the 
disease,  he  relates  [this]  to  the  patient.  This  [state  which 
he  discerns]  constitutes  the  disease  and  the  evidences  in  the 
body  are  the  effects  of  the  belief.  Not  being  afraid  of  the 
belief  he  is  not  afraid  of  the  disease. 

The  doctors  take  the  bodily  evidence  as  disease.  Disease 
with  him  does  not  come  to  the  natural  senses,  therefore  he 
cannot  explain  to  the  well  his  mode  of  treatment.  The  well 
take  no  interest,  and  his  theory  is  of  no  use  to  them.  Then 
what  use  is  it  to  the  world?  To  give  the  sick  such  confidence 
that  they  will  not  be  frightened  by  the  opinions  of  the  world, 
for  disease  is  an  imprudent  opinion.  He  throws  the  [pa- 
tient's] feelings  off,  and  imparts  his  feelings  ^  which  are  per- 
fect health,  and  his  explanation  destroys  their  feelings  or  dis- 
ease. His  theory  in  this  respect  differing  from  any  other,  is 
1  That  is,  the  silent  spiritual  realization  of  the  Divine  ideal. 


192  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

the  result  of  the  success  of  his  practice.  Therefore  when  he  is 
with  the  sick,  they  feel  safe.  He  is  like  a  captain  who  knows 
his  business,  and  feels  confident  in  a  storm,  and  his  confidence 
sustains  the  crew  and  ship  when  both  would  be  lost  if  the 
captain  should  give  way  to  his  fears.  Dr.  Q.  comes  to  the 
sick  as  a  pilot  to  the  captain  of  a  ship  in  a  storm  or  fog,  when 
dangers  thicken  and  inevitable  destruction  threatens.  He 
learns  the  trouble  from  the  captain,  and  quieting  the  crew  by 
his  composure  inspires  them  with  confidence,  gives  other  di- 
rections, and  brings  them  into  harbor. — Jan.  1860. 

ANOTHER  WORLD 

What  did  Jesus  mean  to  convey  when  He  said  all  men  had 
gone  out  of  the  way,  that  there  was  none  doing  good,  no  not 
one?  It  is  generally  understoood  that  man  had  wandered 
away  from  God,  and  had  become  so  sinful  that  he  was  in 
danger  of  eternal  banishment  from  the  presence  of  God,  and 
unless  he  repented  and  returned  to  God,  he  would  be  banished 
from  His  presence  forever.  This  being  the  state  of  mankind, 
God,  seeing  no  way  whereby  man  could  be  saved,  gave  His 
only  Son  as  a  ransom  for  the  redemption  of  the  world;  or, 
God  made  Himself  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and  came  into  the 
world,  suffered,  and  died,  and  rose  again,  to  show  us  that 
we  should  all  rise  from  the  dead. 

This  is  the  belief  of  most  of  the  Christian  world.  Its 
opposers  disbelieved  all  the  above  ^ory  but  death.  They 
can't  help  believing  that  man  dies,  and  they  have  a  belief  that 
there  will  be  some  sort  of  hocus-pocus  or  chemical  change, 
that  the  soul  or  spirit  will  jump  out  at  death,  and  still  have 
an  existence  somewhere.  After  the  soul  is  set  at  liberty,  it 
can  go  and  stay  just  where  it  pleases.  Others  believe  it  goes 
to  God,  there  to  be  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  be  a  saint  and 
sing  hallileujah  forever. 

The  above  embraces  all  of  mankind's  belief,  and  in  this 
belief  people  feel  as  though  Jesus  Christ  was  the  author  and 
finisher  of  their  faith.  These  beliefs  embrace  all  the  horrors 
of  a  separation  from  this  world,  and  a  doubt  whether  man  will 
obtain  that  world  beyond  this  life. 

No  person  is  in  danger  of  this  change  but  the  sick,  for  if 
a  person  is  well  he  cati't  be  dead,  and  if  he  does  not  die,  he 
is  in  no  danger  of  heaven  or  hell,  therefore  to  keep  well  you 
keep  clear  of  both.  This  was  just  about  the  same  belief  that 
the  people  had  before  Christ  began  His  reform. 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  193 

I  will  try  to  show  that  Jesus  never  taught  one  single  idea 
of  all  the  above,  but  condemned  the  whole  as  superstition 
and  ignorance.  He  not  only  condemned  the  idea  of  a  world 
independent  of  man,  but  proved  that  there  was  none  by  all 
His-  sayings  and  doings.  He  looks  upon  all  the  above  theories 
or  beliefs  as  false  and  tending  to  make  men  unhappy. 

These  beliefs  Jesus  came  to  destroy,  and  established  the 
Kingdom  of  God  or  Truth  in  this  world.  The  two  beliefs 
are  in  ourselves  and  we  become  the  servant  of  the  one  we  obey. 
The  embracing  of  the  true  Christ  is  the  resurrection  from 
the  dead.  The  dead  know  nothing.  To  be  dead  in  sin  or 
ignorance  is  [to  be  in  a  state  of]  separation  from  God  or 
Truth.  To  know  God  is  to  know  ourselves,  and  this  knowl- 
edge is  Christ  or  Truth.  What  is  the  difference  between 
Christ's  belief,  and  the  world's  belief?  Christ  had  no  belief. 
His  Kingdom  was  an  everlasting  Kingdom,  without  begin- 
ning or  end.  It  is  a  Science  based  on  eternal  truth.  It  does 
hot  contain  an  opinion  or  belief.  It  is  all  knowledge  and 
power,  and  will  reign  till  all  beliefs  and  error  shall  be  de- 
stroyed. The  last  error  or  belief  is  death  or  ignorance,  the 
Truth  and  Science  will  reign  till  ignorance  is  destroyed. 
Then  the  son  or  law  shall  be  subject  to  God. — Jan.  1860. 

YOUR  POSITION 

Wliat  is  your  position  in  regard  to  the  world,  or  the  errors 
of  the  world?  You  cannot  embrace  both.  If  you  embrace 
the  world  you  embrace  its  errors,  and  become  a  servant  to 
its  laws,  and  the  spirit  or  truth  departs  to  the  God  that  gave 
it.  But  if  you  hold  on  to  the  Truth  the  world  is  in  subjec- 
tion to  you,  and  instead  of  becoming  a  servant  you  become  a 
teacher  of  Truth  to  the  world,  to  lead  other  minds  to  the 
Truth. 

Instead  of  your  happiness  being  in  the  world,  the  world's 
happiness  is  in  you.  Here  is  your  true  position,  and  this  is 
the  struggle  you  will  have  to  go  through.  Shall  the  world 
lead  you,  or  shall  you  lead  the  world  ?  This  is  the  point  that 
is  to  be  settled  in  your  mind. 

Now  I  will  give  you  the  signs  of  the  times.  Many  shall 
come  in  the  name  of  the  Truth,  and  say,  do  this,  or  do  that — 
music,  dancing,  and  all  sorts  of  amusements.  But  Truth  says 
beware,  be  not  deceived,  seek  first  the  truth,  and  all  the  above 
will  be  a  pleasure  to  you.     To  know  whether  you  are  born  of 


194  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

the  trutli,  the  truth  shall  show  just  your  position  in  the  world. 
Then  you  can  take  the  lead,  and  the  world  will  listen  to  you. 
Then  the  kingdom  of  this  world  has  become  subject  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  or  error  has  become  the  subject  of  Truth. 
This  is  a  trying  scene  to  go  through,  it  seems  as  though  you 
must  leave  all  the  world's  pleasure,  and  seclude  yourself  from 
Bociety.  But  this  is  not  the  case ;  you  will  like  society  all  the 
better.  For  where  the  carcass  is  there  will  all  the  eagles  be 
gathered,  so  where  error  is,  truth  will  go,  to  lead  the  captive 
free.  This  will  make  you  love  amusement  for  the  sake  of 
doing  good.  Then  you  will  rejoice  with  those  that  rejoice 
and  weep  with  those  that  weep,  and  your  happiness  will  be 
their  happiness.  Then  you  will  be  loved  and  respected  for 
your  love  or  knowledge,  then  you  will  draw  around  you  those 
minds  that  are  in  harmony  with  yours.  Then  will  the  old 
ideas  or  errors  of  the  world  come  and  knock  at  your  door  for 
admittance,  but  the  truth  will  say,  "Depart  ye  cursed,  for 
when  I  wanted  truth  ye  gave  no  answer,  when  ignorant  or 
naked,  you  gave  me  no  truth  or  clothes,  therefore  depart  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  darkness,  where  ignorance  and  error 
dwell."— Dec.  1859. 

MY  THEORY 

All  effects  produced  on  the  human  frame  are  the  result  of 
ft  chemical  change  of  the  fluids  with  or  without  our 
knowledge,  and  all  the  varieties  and  changes  are  accompanied 
by  a  peculiar  state  of  mind.  If  the  mind  should  be  directed 
to  any  particular  organ,  that  organ  might  become  deranged 
or  might  not.  In  either  case  the  trouble  is  in  the  mind,  for 
the  body  is  only  the  house  for  the  mind  to  dwell  in,  and  we 
put  a  value  on  it  according  to  its  worth.  Therefore  if  your 
mind  has  been  deceived  by  some  invisible  enemy  into  a  belief, 
you  have  put  it  into  the  form  of  a  disease,  with  or  with- 
out your  knowledge.  By  my  theory  or  truth  I  come  in  contact 
with  your  enemy,  and  restore  you  to  your  health  and 
happiness. 

This  I  do  partly  mentally  and  partly  by  talking  till  I 
correct  the  wrong  impressions  and  establish  the  Truth,  and 
the  Truth  is  the  cure.  I  use  no  medicines  of  any  kind,  and 
make  no  applications.  I  am  no  spiritualist.  ...  I  am  not 
dictated  to  by  any  living  man,  but  am  guided  by  the  dictations 
of  my  own  conscience,  as  a  lawyer  is  in  pleading  a  case 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  195 

governed  by  the  evidence.  A  sick  man  is  like  a  criminal 
cast  into  prison,  for  disobeying  some  law  that  man  has  set 
up,  I  plead  his  case,  and  if  I  get  the  verdict,  the  criminal  is 
set  at  liberty.  If  I  fail,  I  lose  the  case.  His  own  judg- 
ment is  his  judge,  his  feelings  are  his  evidence.  If  my 
explanation  is  satisfactory  to  the  judge,  you  will  give  me  the 
verdict.  This  ends  the  trial,  and  the  patient  is  released. 
—Dec.  1859. 

ESTABLISHING   A  NEW   SCIENCE 

What  has  a  man  to  contend  with  who  underi;akes  to  es- 
tablish a  new  science?  He  has  the  opposition  of  all  the 
opinions  of  the  worid  in  regard  to  it,  and  all  their  influence. 
He  will  be  misunderstood  by  fools,  and  misrepresented  by 
knaves,  for  [his  science]  will  tear  down  their  fortress  or  belief, 
and  they  will  use  all  their  skill  and  deception  to  defeat 
their  enemy.  Their  weapon  is  their  tongue,  and  the  tongue 
of  a  hypocrite  is  of  all  weapons  the  most  deadly  to  truth ;  for 
it  can  assume  the  form  of  an  angel,  while  it  is  sapping  your 
very  life's  blood  from  your  soul.  Its  life  and  happiness  are 
its  own  torment.  Ever  since  the  world  began,  Science  has 
had  this  enemy  to  contend  with,  and  some  very  hard  battles 
have  been  fought  before  error  would  leave  the  field.  Even 
when  forced  to  retreat  into  darkness  it  would  come  out.  .  .  . 
Therefore,  science  must  keep  awake  for  its  own  safety.  These 
two  powers  are  in  every  person,  and  each  one's  happiness  or 
misery  shows  which  one  he  is  under  subjection  to.  If  well 
and  happy,  it  is  no  proof  that  he  has  been  through  this  war 
of  science  and  arrived  at  the  truth,  but  that  from  some  cause, 
he  is  satisfied  to  become  the  friend  of  both  powers.  In  this 
way  he  is  a  kind  of  know-nothing;  but  his  position  is  not  safe, 
for  liis  enemy  knows  his  position,  and  only  lets  him  remain 
while  he  will  keep  still  or  quiet. 

What  has  Truth  accomplished?  A  great  deal.  It  has 
planted  its  standard  in  this  battlefield.  The  standard  of 
mathematics  waves  its  banner  to  the  truth.  These  monu- 
ments of  Science,  like  Solomon's  Temple,  are  the  place  where 
truth  comes  to  worship,  and  the  true  priests  are  those  who 
can  teach  these  sciences  understandingly,  and  the  masses  are 
those  whose  belief  is  founded  on  these  teachers'  opinions, 
without  knowing  the  Science  or  Truth,  but  whose  faith  is 
pinned  on  another's  opinion  or  sleeves.     This  credulity  of  the 


196  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

people  prompts  men  to  selfishness,  and  there  arise  false 
teachers,  whose  aim  is  to  deceive  the  people  and  make  them- 
selves famous.  They  throw  discredit  on  their  ideas,  and 
render  them  unpopular,  so  that  if  the  same  standard  should 
be  adopted  by  a  true  priest,  he  would  have  much  opposition 
to  meet  with  in  the  minds  of  those  who  have  been  deluded 
and  imposed  upon  by  hypocrites.  This  places  a  man  in  a 
very  bad  situation  to  defend  himself,  and  all  the  influence  he 
gets  is  from  those  he  cures,  and  they  dare  not  stand  up  and 
face  the  world  and  sustain  their  position,  for  it  is  so  unpopular 
that  their  reputation  is  at  stal<e.  This  is  the  state  the  two 
armies  are  in,  when  the  leader  plants  his  standard  of  Science 
with  this  inscription.  The  Science  of  True  Religion  is  Health, 
Happiness,  and  Deliverance. — Dec.  1859, 

TWO  SCIENCES 

There  are  two  sciences,  one  of  this  world,  and  the  other  of 
a  spiritual  world,  or  two  effects  produced  upon  the  mind  or 
matter  by  two  directions.  The  wisdom  of  this  world  acts  in 
this  way:  It  puts  its  own  construction  on  all  sensations 
produced  in  the  mind,  and  establishes  its  knowledge  after  the 
effect  is  produced.  For  instance,  a  child  feels  a  pain  in  its 
head,  the  child  has  no  idea  what  it  is,  and  if  the  mother  is  as 
ignorant  of  its  origin  as  the  child  no  effect  of  any  moment 
is  produced.  But  the  wisdom  of  the  world  arrives  in  the  form 
of  a  lady.  She  hears  the  account  of  the  pain  from  the  mother, 
and  assuming  a  wise  look  gives  her  opinion  in  regard  to  the 
trouble,  and  says  the  child  is  threatened  with  dropsy  of  the 
brain,  because  she  shows  the  same  symptoms  of  another  child 
who  died  of  that  disease.  This  account  excites  the  mother, 
whose  mind  acts  upon  the  child.  The  explanation  of  the 
wise  lady  gives  direction  to  the  mind,  and  presently 
the  work  commences  to  show  that  she  is  right.  A  doctor  is 
called  who  is  as  wise  as  the  lady,  and  not  being  willing  to  be 
outdone  by  her  he  puts  in  a  few  extras  like  congestion  of  the 
brain,  says  the  lady  was  right  but  did  not  get  the  whole  of  the 
matter.  So  he  has  two  chances  after  the  child  is  killed  to 
prove  his  superior  wisdom  over  the  lady. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  a  controversy  arises  between  the 
two  parties,  each  trying  to  establish  their  own  opinion  so  as  to 
have  the  disease  turn  their  way.  In  the  meantime  the  patient 
is  left  to  her  own  self  and  gets  well.     This  is  all  the  good 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  197 

result  I  ever  saw  from  such  a  controversy.  The  patient  is 
a  mere  tool  in  the  hands  of  these  blind  guides  who  attempt  to 
cure  her.  While  this  controversy  is  going  on,  seeing  that  all 
each  party  wants  is  to  establish  their  own  way,  the  mother 
sends  for  me  in  her  dilemma.  I  arrive  and  a  fire-brand  is 
thrown  in  between  the  combatants.  I  contend  that  the  child 
has  no  dropsy  of  the  brain,  but  only  some  slight  shock  upon  its 
mind,  and  quieting  the  child  is  all  that  is  necessary  for  a  cure. 
Here  the  controversy  ends.  If  the  mother  employs  me  I 
prove  my  theory  and  the  child  gets  well.  If  they  prove  theirs 
they  kill  the  child,  and  an  examination  is  made  which 
establishes  their  theory,  and  I  am  a  humbug  or  quack.  If 
I  take  the  case,  and  the  child  gets  well,  the  child  was  not  sick, 
only  a  little  nervous. — Dec.  1859. 

CHRIST  AND  TRUTH 

Eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  while  Jesus  was  disputing  with 
the  Pharisees  upon  the  old  scriptures.  He  asked  the  question, 
what  do  you  think  of  Christ  or  this  Truth  ?  Has  it  a  father, 
if  so,  who  is  he?  They  answer,  "David,"  or  this  truth  is 
David's  ideas  or  theory.  Jesus  said,  "If  David  is  the  father  of 
this  Christ  (or  theory,  or  ideas,  or  truth),  why  did  he  call 
it  Lord,  if  it  was  his  son  ?"  Here  they  both  admitted  a  truth 
independent  of  the  natural  man.  The  Pharisees  believed  it 
was  the  offspring  of  David,  and  therefore  called  it  David's  son 
or  theory.  Jesus  knew  it  was  not  of  this  world,  but  of  God 
or  Truth,  hence  that  it  could  be  reduced  to  a  Science.  This 
has  been  the  rock  upon  which  the  people  have  split.  This 
is  the  thing  to  decide,  whether  there  is  a  knowledge  inde- 
pendent of  man,  or  whether  it  is  the  offspring  of  an  organized 
being.  Jesus  called  this  truth  the  Son  of  God.  Peter  called 
it  Christ.  The  people's  ignorance  confounded  the  two 
together,  and  called  it  Jesus  Christ.  This  last  construction 
has  given  rise  to  all  the  religious  wars  and  bloodshed  since 
the  Christian  era.  Decide  this  question  and  you  shut  the 
mouths  of  all  the  lions  of  the  world. 

Now  let  us  look  at  the  controversy  of  the  two  parties.  This 
makes  the  two  worlds,  ignorance  the  one,  and  Truth  or  Science 
the  other.  These  two  powers  act  upon  every  man.  One  is 
identified  with  the  body  and  a  part  of  it.  Jesus  gave  some 
of  the  traits  of  that  power  when  He  said  that  it  is  of  the 
earthly  man,  and  when  He  said,  "Out  of  the  heart  proceedeth 


198  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

all  kinds  of  evil  thoughts."  These  thoughts  are  matter,  and 
are  the  result  if  error,  superstition  and  ignorance,  without  any 
knowledge  of  God.  Science  is  the  opponent  of  the  above,  and 
as  it  accounts  for  all  phenomena,  ignorance  is  destroyed. 
Science  has  had  to  fight  this  battle  with  the  world  of  error  and 
ignorance  before  it  could  establish  its  standard,  and  take  its 
position  above  the  natural  man.  Then  it  is  acknowledged  and 
worshipped  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  Before  it  becomes  a 
science  it  is  under  the  law  of  ignorance  and  superstition, 
directed  by  blind  guides  leading  the  blind,  through  the 
knowledge  of  this  world,  and  this  wisdom  Jesus  calls  foolish- 
ness with  God  (or  Science).  Now  to  separate  these  two,  so 
that  the  wisdom  of  this  world  shall  become  subject  to  the 
knowledge  of  God,  is  not  an  easy  task.  Almost  all  who  have 
ever  tried  to  do  so  have  lost  their  lives. 

I  will  not  go  back  further  than  John  the  Baptist.  John 
saw  that  the  time  was  very  near  when  his  truth  or  Christ 
was  to  become  a  science,  therefore  he  says,  "As  the  truth  is 
laid  at  the  root  or  foundation  of  their  theories,  every  tree  or 
supposed  science  that  cannot  stand  the  test  of  true  science 
must  be  hewn  down."  Therefore  his  belief  was  like  water  that 
could  wash  away  some  of  their  errors,  but  when  the  Truth  or 
Holy  Ghost  should  come  then  it  would  be  reduced  to  a  science. 
At  this  time  Jesus  had  not  received  the  Holy  Ghost  so  as  to 
explain  it.  Therefore  He  went  with  others  to  John  to  be  bap- 
tized or  hear  John's  ideas,  and  when  Jesus  asked  John  to 
explain  to  Him,  John  modestly  replied,  "1  have  need  to  be 
baptized  or  taught  of  you."  Jesus  declined  explaining,  so 
John  then  went  on  to  tell  his  ideas  or  belief.  Jesus  entered 
into  his  water  or  belief,  and  understood  it,  and  when  He  came 
out  of  the  water,  the  Heavens  were  opened  to  Him  alone,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost  descended  like  a  dove  and  lit  on  Jesus  and  a 
voice  said  to  Him  alone,  "This  is  my  beloved  Son  (or  Sci- 
ence), in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  This  Science  had  no 
name  till  Peter  gave  it  the  name  of  Christ,  as  an  answer  to 
the  question  put  to  him  by  Jesus — "Whom  do  the  people  say 
that  I,  this  power,  am  ?" — Peter  answered,  "Some  say,  Moses, 
etc."  Jesus  then  said,  "Whom  say  you  that  I  am?" — not 
Jesus,  as  is  supposed,  but  this  power ;  for  all  the  persons  that 
Peter  had  named  were  dead,  so  of  course  Jesus  did  not  include 
Himself,  but  His  theory.  Peter  answered  Him  "Jesus,  the 
Christ,  the  living  God  (or  Science)."     This  Science  he  called 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  199 

Christ.  Then  Jesus  said,  "Flesh  and  blood  hath  not  re- 
vealed this  to  you."  It  must  have  come  from  the  same  power 
that  Jesus  had.  Therefore  He  said,  "Upon  this  rock  or  truth 
I  will  build  my  church  or  theory,  and  the  gates  of  error  and 
superstition  shall  not  prevail  against  it."  This  truth  or 
Christ  is  what  Jesus  taught.  This  broke  the  locks  and  bars, 
opened  the  prison  doors  and  let  the  captive  free  from  the  old 
superstition  and  ignorance.  By  this  power  He  healed  all 
manner  of  diseases,  cast  out  devils,  established  health  and 
happiness,  brought  peace  and  good  will  to  man. 

This  theory  came  in  contact  will  all  other  theories,  for  there 
were  false  ones  and  Christ  warned  the  people  against  them. 
He  said  there  were  false  Christs  and  told  them  how  to  distin- 
guish between  the  false  and  the  true.  Now  as  Jesus  became 
popular  with  the  people,  the  chief  priests,  and  the  doctors  or 
scribes  sought  how  to  put  Him  down,  and  they  tried  in  every 
way  to  catch  Him.  At  one  time  while  in  the  temple  the  chief 
priests  and  elders  of  the  people  came  to  ask  by  what  authority 
He  did  these  things.  Jesus  answered  them  by  asking  them  a 
question  which,  if  they  answered,  He  would  tell  them  how  He 
performed  His  cures.  Tlie  baptism  of  John,  or  his  theory, 
was  it  from  Heaven  or  of  man?  And  they  reasoned  among 
themselves,  saying.  If  we  say,  from  Heaven,  He  will  say,  "Why 
then  did  ye  not  believe  it?" — for  they  had  killed  John  as  a 
prophet.  And  so  they  answered,  "We  cannot  tell."  "Neither 
can  I  tell  you  how  I  do  these  things." 

As  it  never  has  been  explained  how  Jesus  did  these  things, 
the  people  have  looked  upon  them  as  miracles.  But  to  suppose 
Jesus  performed  a  miracle  is  to  suppose  Him  ignorant  of  the 
power  He  exercised,  and  if  so  He  was  just  as  much  a  quack  as 
those  He  condemned ;  for  He  said,  when  accused  of  curing 
through  ignorance  or  Beelzebub,  "If  I  cast  out  devils  through 
Beelzebub,  my  theory  or  kingdom  cannot  stand,  but  if  I  do  it 
by  Science,  it  is  not  of  this  world,  but  of  God,  and  it  will 
stand."  Here  He  makes  a  difference  between  ignorance  and 
knowledge.  Again,  if  Jesus  was  ignorant  of  His  power,  and 
did  not  know  how  to  explain  it  to  others,  why  did  He  tell  His 
disciples  to  go  out  in  all  the  world  and  heal  all  manner  of 
disease?  If  ignorant  of  what  He  said,  and  gave  no  expla- 
nation of  His  manner  of  curing,  He  was  as  ignorant  as  they. 
But  I  am  certain  that  He  knew  more  than  His  disciples  could 
understand,  and  as  soon  as  Jesus  was  crucified,  the  cures 


200  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

ceased  to  be  done  by  a  Science,  but  went  back  into  the  hands  of 
priests  and  magicians,  and  have  been  a  miracle  ever  since,  and 
the  Clirist  that  prompted  Jesus'  acts  is  not  known  at  all. 
That  Christ  never  did  any  doctoring,  nor  offered  up  prayers, 
nor  creeds.  It  never  belonged  to  this  world,  nor  talked  about 
any  kind  of  religion.  It  talked  itself.  Itself  was  its  life,  and 
its  life  was  the  healing  of  the  sick  and  distressed.  It  takes 
the  feelings  of  the  sick  and  knows  their  wants,  and  restores  to 
them  what  the  world  has  robbed  them  of.  This  is  the  Christ 
that  was  crucified  eighteen  hundred  years  ago.  Now  the  only 
thing  we  hear  is  what  was  said  about  Him.  Yet  He  is  in  the 
world  but  has  no  identity  as  a  Science. — Jan.  1860. 

DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN  MY  BELIEF  AND  OTHERS 

Where  does  Dr.  Q's.  mode  of  practice  differ  from  that  of 
others?  In  every  particular.  Disease  is  admitted  by  every 
one  (though  there  may  be  a  few  exceptions)  as  a  something 
independent  of  the  mind.  Dr.  Q.  denies  all  this  and  asks  for 
the  proof  of  it. 

Disease  is  a  departure  from  life.  Now,  how  can  a  man 
lose  his  life,  and  know  it  after  it  has  taken  place  and  at  the 
same  time,  not  know  it  ?  For  if  health  is  life,  and  a  departure 
from  it  death,  how  can  this  change  take  place,  independently 
of  the  mind?  For  if  the  mind  is  not  that  which  undergoes 
the  change  how  can  it  suffer  death?  .  .  .  We  are  called 
upon  to  prepare  for  this  change  from  life  to  death,  or  from 
health  to  disease. 

People  understand  this  theory  pretty  well,  for  they  prove 
it  in  a  very  few  years  to  the  satisfaction  of  both  parties. 

This  was  the  state  of  the  mind  when  Christ  came  to  destroy 
this  theory  of  disease  and  death  by  showing  the  Truth,  which 
was  and  is  life.  And  no  person  was  in  any  danger  of  hell, 
except  those  who  were  sick,  for  the  well  need  no  physician. 
Therefore  to  keep  well  was  to  keep  clear  of  hell,  and  to  get 
into  it  was  to  get  sick,  for  sickness  led  to  death,  and  death  led 
to  hell. 

Therefore  as  long  as  man  is  well,  according  to  this  theory, 
he  is  safe.  Now  as  Christ  was  the  sick  man's  advocate,  He 
warned  the  people  against  believing  either  of  the  two  advocates 
of  health  or  disease.  He  said  to  the  people,  "Beware  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  for  they  under- 
take to  tell  of  what  they  know  nothing  about,   and  they 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  201 

bind  burdens  in  the  form  of  disease  or  opinion,  and  lay  them 
on  your  shoulders,  which  are  grievous  to  be  borne,  and  which 
must  lead  to  death,  or  the  departure  from  life  or  health."  To 
keep  in  health,  and  keep  clear  of  death,  was  to  understand  our- 
selves, so  that  their  opinions  cannot  harm  us.  Now,  in  all  the 
above  belief  or  theory,  there  is  not  the  slightest  intimation  of 
any  knowledge  independent  of  mind.  It  is  true  that  some 
people  have  a  vague  idea  of  something  independent  of  tlie 
mind,  but  the  person  who  dares  express  such  an  opinion  is 
looked  upon  as  a  sort  of  lunatic  or  fool.  Phenomena  are 
constantly  taking  place,  showing  that  there  is  a  higher  order 
of  intellect  that  has  not  yet  been  developed  in  the  form  of  a 
theory,  but  which  can  unravel  the  old  theory,  and  bring  in  one 
that  will  lead  man  to  health  and  happiness,  and  destroy  the 
idea  of  disease  and  death.  Dr.  Q's  theory,  if  understood, 
also  goes  to  correct  this  error  that  is  depriving  so  many  of  the 
life  and  happiness  of  mankind.  His  belief  is  his  practice,  and 
his  practice  gives  the  lie  to  the  old  beliefs. — Jan.  1860. 

TRUE  AND  FALSE  CHRISTS 

I  will  try  to  explain  the  true  Christ  from  the  false  Christ, 
and  show  that  "Christ"  never  was  intended  to  be  applied  to 
Jesus  as  a  man,  but  to  a  Truth  superior  to  the  natural  man — 
and  this  Truth  is  what  prophets  foretold.  It  has  been 
called  by  various  names,  but  is  the  same  truth.  There  is 
a  natural  body  of  flesh  and  blood — this  was  Jesus.  His  mind 
like  all  others  was  subject  to  a  law  of  truth  that  could  be 
developed  through  the  natural  man.  This  power  Jesus  tried 
to  convince  people  of,  as  I  am  trying  to  convince  people  that 
there  is  such  a  state  as  clairvoyance,  that  is,  that  there  is  a 
power  that  has  an  identity  and  can  act  upon  the  natural  man, 
which  the  natural  man  is  ignorant  of.  When  this  power  acts 
upon  his  senses  it  acts  in  the  form  of  an  idea  or  thought.  The 
natural  man  receives  it  like  the  servant,  but  acts  as  tliough 
he  was  the  father  of  the  idea.  The  world  gives  him  credit  for 
this  superiority  over  the  rest  of  his  fellow  men. 

But  unwilling  to  admit  this  power,  the  world  attributes  it 
to  some  unknown  cause,  as  the  best  way  to  get  out  of  trouble. 
People  would  rather  have  it  a  miracle  than  a  science,  for 
otherwise  it  would  lower  them  in  the  estimation  of  them- 
selves and  cause  their  own  destruction,  as  all  truth  destroys 
error.     This  belief  that  there  is  an  intelligence  independent  of 


202  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

ourselves  has  always  been  admitted,  but  attributed  to  some 
miraculous  power  from  another  world. — Jan.  1860. 

YOUR  TRUE  POSITION 

Question  :  "I  understand  you  to  say,  sometimes  that  mind  is 
matter,  and  at  another  time  you  separate  the  two  by  showing 
that  the  mind  leaves  the  body  and  goes  to  a  distant  place, 
sees  and  describes  objects  that  are  not  known  to  any  person 
present."  Answer:  Certainly  and  I  will  give  you  the  proof. 
The  mind  is  the  medium  of  a  higher  power  independent  of 
the  natural  man  that  is  not  recognized.  When  we  speak  of 
mind  we  embrace  this  power,  as  Ave  often  do  in  speaking  of 
a  lever,  supposing  the  power  to  lie  in  the  lever,  not  thinking 
that  the  lever  contains  no  knowledge  or  power. 

This  natural  mistake  is  attributed  to  our  ignorance  of  mathe- 
matics. The  same  mistake  exists  with  regard  to  mind  and 
matter.  The  body  may  be  compared  to  dead  weight,  the  mind 
to  a  lever.  Error  puts  knowledge  into  the  lever.  Here  is 
where  the  mystery  lies.  The  natural  man  cannot  see  beyond 
this  standard,  and  as  all  our  happiness  or  misery  is  in  what 
follows  our  acts,  it  is  not  strange  that  we  are  all  the  time 
getting  into  trouble.  Now,  separate  the  power  from  the  lever 
or  mind,  and  the  mind  becomes  subject  to  this  independent 
power,  and  acts  upon  another's  mind  in  the  same  way  that  the 
natural  man  may  suggest  to  his  friend  the  best  way  of  apply- 
ing his  power  to  a  lever  to  move  matter.  As  our  bodies  are 
the  machine  to  be  moved  like  the  locomotive,  and  our  mind  is 
the  steam,  the  whole  must  be  kept  in  action  by  a  power  inde- 
pendent of  itself,  for  the  steam  contains  no  knowledge,  any 
more  than  the  body  or  engine.  Now  all  men  will  admit  the 
two  elements.  These  two  powers  are  not  understood  or  ad- 
mitted to  have  an  existence  independent  of  the  lever  or  mind. 
These  two  powers  govern  the  mind  and  body  as  the  engineer 
governs  the  steam-engine.  Knowledge  of  ourselves  as  spirit- 
ual beings  separates  both. — Jan.  1860. 

MY   RELIGION 

When  I  talk  to  the  sick  I  talk  my  theory,  when  I  talk  to 
the  well  I  talk  about  it.  It  is  so  with  my  religion,  I  have 
no  religion  independent  of  my  acts.  When  I  am  religious, 
I  talk  it  and  put  it  into  practice.  When  I  am  not  putting 
my  religion  into  practice  for  the  benefit  of  the  sick  and  those 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  203 

whom  I  can  help,  then  if  I  talk  I  am  talking  about  some- 
thing. Here  is  a  distinction  that  may  at  first  seem  curious 
to  some,  but  if  you  will  look  at  it  rightly  you  will  see  that 
there  is  more  in  it  than  you  would  at  first  suppose.  One  of 
Christ's  followers  made  a  remark  like  this  in  regard  to  the 
same  distinction,  only  he  called  their  talk  or  belief,  Faith, 
which  is  religion  put  in  practice.  He  said,  show  me  your 
religion  or  faith  independent  of  works,  and  I  will  show  you 
miy  religion  or  faith  by  my  works.  There  is  no  such  iden- 
tity as  goodness  by  itself.— Jan.  1860. 

HAPPINESS 

What  is  happiness?  It  is  what  follows  any  act  of  the  law 
of  science,  but  it  is  not  always  understood.  Sin  and  misery 
are  the  effects  of  our  belief  put  in  practice,  governed  by  the 
law  of  sin  and  death.  Man  is  the  medium  of  the  two  laws; 
the  one,  chance  or  ignorance,  which  is  of  this  world;  the 
other,  God  or  Science,  which  is  of  a  higher.  The  wisdom  of 
one  is  called  the  law,  the  knowledge  of  the  other  is  the  Gos- 
pel. These  two  laws  enter  into  all  our  acts.  Mathematics 
contains  the  two  laws.  The  solving  of  a  problem  does  not 
establish  the  science,  although  it  may  be  right,  but  it  devel- 
ops a  phenomenon  for  a  more  wise  and  excellent  law  so  that 
the  world  may  be  benefited  by  it.  So  by  establishing  the 
law  of  science  we  destroy  the  law  of  ignorance.  This  holds 
good  of  all  the  laws  of  science,  the  introduction  of  the  one  is 
the  destruction  of  the  other,  to  all  who  understand.  To  such 
there  is  no  ofl'eriug  up  of  sin  or  sacrifices,  but  a  fear  of 
judgment  because  of  wrong-doing.  This  keeps  us  on  our 
guard.  Now,  it  has  not  entered  into  man's  lieart  to  conceive 
a  more  excellent  law  whereby  man  may  be  saved  from  the  sins 
or  errors  that  bind  him  down  by  the  laws  of  sin  and  death. 
To  introduce  a  Science  that  can  explain  the  errors  that  keep 
us  in  trouble  is  what  prophets  foretold  and  wise  men  have 
looked  for  ever  since  the  world  began.  This  knowledge  has 
been  called  by  various  names.  It  was  called  the  New  Jeru- 
salem that  came  down  from  heaven,  and  it  was  called  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  This  is  the  law  that  was  written  in  the 
heart;  it  is  the  knowledge  of  ourselves  that  can  see  the  evils 
of  our  own  misery. 

It  may  be  asked,  how  can  we  distinguish  between  the  two, 
for  every  one  has  a  right  to  his  own  opinion  ?     That  is  true, 


204  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

but  science  does  not  leave  it  answered  in  that  way,  but  proves 
it  so  that  there  can  be  no  mistake.  Now  as  disease  is  an  error, 
60  the  mind,  as  in  any  error,  must  be  corrected  by  a  power  inde- 
pendent of  itself,  and  this  power  must  be  governed  by  a 
science  in  all  cases ;  thougli  it  may  not  be  necessarily  under- 
stood by  the  person  applying  this  power.  As  Science,  like 
God,  never  acts  except  like  a  balance  which  judges  correctly, 
it  contains  no  [mere]  thought  or  reason,  but  judges  every  one 
according  to  his  worth.  As  error  is  a  chemical  action  and  con- 
tains all  of  the  above,  it  is  like  two  rogues,  at  war  with  itself. 
There  is  an  old  saying,  and  a  very  good  one  that,  when  two 
rogues  fall  out  an  honest  man  gets  his  due ;  so  when  error  is 
at  war,  it  develops  some  truth.  As  the  degrees  from  total 
darkness  or  ignorance  are  progressive,  they  embrace  all  kinds 
of  talent,  like  teachers  from  the  lowest  classes  of  this  world 
to  the  highest  of  the  spiritual  world.  All  science  to  the  nat- 
ural world  is  looked  upon  as  mystery,  witchcraft,  sorcery, 
etc.,  because  the  natural  world  cannot  see  anything  beyond 
itself.  But  there  is  a  mind  that  can  teach  it,  and  another 
that  can  learn  it,  and  so  on  till  it  reaches  Science.  Then 
comes  the  end  of  the  world  of  error,  and  the  introduction  of 
a  more  excellent  law  of  God.  As  a  person's  happiness  is 
the  effect  of  his  knowledge,  to  be  good  is  the  fruit  of  Science. 
All  religion  that  embraces  creeds  is  of  this  world,  and  is 
governed  by  laws,  and  contains  rewards  and  punishments; 
therefore  holding  out  inducements  to  be  good  with  one  hand, 
and  retribution  with  the  other,  is  not  the  religion  of  Christ. 
He  is  in  us,  and  a  part  of  us,  and  to  know  ourselves  is  to 
know  Christ,  and  to  preach  Christ  is  to  help  each  other  out 
of  our  troubles,  destroying  the  enemy  that  has  possession  of 
us. 

The  laying  down  of  your  life  for  your  friends  is  not  so 
easy  a  matter  as  some  might  think.  It  is  easier  to  talk  about 
religion  than  to  talk  it.  To  talk  it  is  to  put  it  into  practice, 
and  to  put  it  into  practice  is  to  give  it  to  those  who  ask,  for 
to  give  them  a  stone  when  they  ask  for  bread  is  what  any  one 
can  do,  as  then  you  part  with  nothing.  To  give  to  every  one 
that  asks  of  you  some  spiritual  food  or  knowledge,  that  will 
cool  their  feverish  tongue,  or  soothe  their  excited  brain,  and 
lead  them  like  the  true  shepherd  to  their  home  or  health, 
where  they  can  rejoice  with  thir  friends,  is  not  so  easy  as  to 
sit  down  and  thank  the  Lord  that  you  are  not  like  other  men. 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  205 

To  be  a  follower  of  Christ  is  not  an  easy  thing,  but  to  be  a 
representive  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  not  very  hard,  it 
only  requires  one  to  become  as  ignorant  as  a  child. 

To  call  yourself  a  follower  of  Jesus,  is  to  call  yourself  a 
pattern  of  goodness,  and  that  was  more  than  Jesus  did  of 
Himself,  for  He  never  sounded  the  trumpet  of  His  own 
praise.  We  are  all  called  upon  to  become  followers  of  Jesus  so 
that  the  world  may  be  benefited  by  His  truth.  This  is  our 
happiness  and  the  happiness  of  others,  for  we  are  all  workers 
for  the  same  truth.  Therefore  dismiss  error,  and  embrace 
the  true  Science,  and  fight  the  enemy  of  health,  like  a  soldier 
of  Science.— Feb.  1860. 

PRATER,  I 

Can  any  good  come  out  of  prayer  ?  I  answer  yes,  but  not 
in  the  sense  that  is  supposed,  A  phenomenon  can  be  produced 
in  the  same  way  that  is  brought  about  by  mesmerism,  but 
there  is  no  knowledge  in  the  church-prayer.  It  is  the  effect 
of  superstition  and  ignorance.  It  is  not  of  Christ,  but  from  a 
mind  ignorant  of  self  and  God.  No  man  prays  except  the 
one  who  wants  a  favor,  to  be  rewarded  for  more  than  he 
deserves,  or  one  who  has  more  of  this  world's  goods  than  his 
neighbor.  Witness  the  effect  of  the  prayer  on  this  world, 
those  who  pray  to  the  earthly  man,  who  belong  to  the  lowest 
class  of  mankind.  No  man  of  character  vrill  beg  or  pray  for 
the  sake  of  gain. 

True  prayer  is  the  desire  of  the  heart,  and  if  the  heart  is 
right  the  prayer  will  be  answered.  For  as  the  heart  is  only 
the  figure  or  emblem  of  knowledge,  a  true  heart  must  have 
Bcientific  knowledge,  and  a  corrupt  heart  must  be  full  of 
superstition  and  ignorance,  deceit  and  hypocrisy. 

It  is  generally  admitted  that  prayer  is  of  divine  origin, 
but  if  it  is  to  be  offered  to  God  this  is  not  the  case.  If  it 
is  of  the  devil,  I  will  admit  that  it  is  as  old  as  its  father, 
for  we  read  that  the  devils  prayed,  as  when  the  devil  wanted 
Christ  to  worship  him.  So  do  all  men  of  narrow  minds  like 
to  be  worshipped  for  what  they  have  no  claim  to.  One  great 
argument  offered  in  favor  of  prayer  is  that  Christ  said, 
"He  who  humbles  himself  shall  be  exalted."  What  is  re- 
quired of  a  person  to  humble  himself  is  to  get  down  on  his 
knees  and  hold  up  his  hands,  and  in  a  hypocrital  cant  ask 
of  God  some  favor  which  he  is  not  entitled  to.     But  God 


206  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

rewards  everyone  according  to  his  acts,  and  He  knows  our 
wants  before  we  ask.  So  to  ask  of  a  Being  whom  we  acknowl- 
edge knows  our  wants  is  either  to  curry  favor  or  flatter  Him 
with  the  idea  that  we  think  He  will  be  pleased  to  see  how 
much  we  honor  Him.  This  is  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  but 
not  the  wisdom  of  God.  God  asks  no  such  worship.  To 
worsliip  God  is  to  worship  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  for 
He  is  in  the  truth,' not  in  the  error.  Our  reward  is  in  our 
act  and  if  we  act  rightly  and  honestly  we  get  the  reward. 
If  we  act  selfishly  we  get  the  result  also.  He  who  expects 
God  to  leave  Science  and  come  down  to  ignorance  and  change 
a  principle  for  a  selfish  motive  to  please  Him,  is  either  a 
knave  or  fool  and  knows  not  God.  God  is  like  the  fire  which 
throws  heat  or  love  on  all  around.  Those  who  will  can  enjoy 
the  heat  or  love,  but  if  we  choose  to  stand  out  in  the  cold,  we 
cannot  expect  exclusive  privileges ;  for  God  has  no  respect  to 
one  over  another.  I  have  no  account  with  God,  He  pays  me  as 
soon  as  my  work  is  done,  and  I  do  not  ask  favors  of  Him 
apart  from  His  principles.  If  I  act  wrongly  He  will  not  step 
out  and  correct  me.  I  must  do  it  myself.  If  I  act  rightly 
I  get  my  reward,  for  our  happiness  or  misery  is  in  our  acts, 
and  as  we  are  a  part  of  each  other,  our  happiness  is  in  our 
neighbor,  and  to  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves  is  more  than 
all  burnt  ofl:erings  and  sacrifices.  If  you  understand  this, 
Jesus  said,  you  are  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
Jesus  had  no  sympathy  with  the  hypocrites'  prayers.  He 
warned  His  disciples  and  the  multitude  against  all  such  pray- 
er. His  prayer  was  that  God  would  forgive  them  for  they 
knew  not  what  they  did.  A  desire  to  know  God,  is  a  desire 
to  know  ourselves,  and  that  requires  all  our  thoughts  to  come 
into  that  happy  state  of  mind.  That  will  lead  man  in  the 
way  to  health.  This  is  a  science  and  is  Christ's  prayer. — 
March,  1860. 

PRAYER,  II 

I  look  on  church-prayers  as  I  do  on  all  other  errors  that 
have  been  invented  to  govern  mankind  and  keep  the  people 
in  ignorance  of  themselves  and  God.  You  may  ask  if  I  would 
destroy  prayer.  No  more  than  I  would  the  law  for  murder  or 
theft;  but  I  would  put  into  man  a  higher  law  that  would 
teach  him  to  worship  God  as  a  God  of  science  and  knowledge. 
This  law  would  put  the  law  of  ignorance  to  death.     For 


CHRIST  OB  SCIENCE  207 

prayer  is  the  law  of  man,  not  of  God,  and  makes  God  nothing 
but  a  mere  sorcerer  or  magician  to  frighten  the  ignorant 
and  superstitious.  It  puts  Jesus  on  a  level  with  the  jug- 
glers of  His  da3^  The  construction  upon  the  parables  shows 
the  state  of  intelligence  of  the  church.  It  makes  Christ's 
mission  here  of  but  little  account  to  the  world  of  science. 

Take  for  instance  the  parable  at  the  wedding.  The  turning 
of  water  into  wine  is  quoted  as  some  great  thing,  as  though 
God  took  this  way  to  convince  man  of  His  power.  But  if 
there  could  not  be  a  better  explanation  of  this  parable  than 
the  church  gives,  Christ  is  merely  a  magician. 

Why  should  the  explanation  of  Christ's  mission  which  was 
to  heal  the  sick,  destroy  death,  and  bring  life  and  immortality 
to  light,  be  left  to  persons  who  have  no  sympathy  for  the 
sick,  but  who  by  their  interpretation  of  Christ  keep  man  sick 
and  ignorant  of  himself?  Of  what  advantage  has  Christ 
been  to  the  sick,  according  to  the  common  opinions  of  man- 
kind ?  Does  the  priest  relieve  them  of  any  burdens  ?  If  not, 
where  is  the  benefit  of  the  church-prayer?  It  is  in  contra- 
diction to  Christ's  own  teaching.  What  was  Christ's 
idea  of  prayer  ?  He  called  it  hypocrisy  and  a  blind  guide  to 
lead  the  blind.  He  warned  the  people  against  those  who  pray- 
ed in  the  streets,  told  them  to  obey  all  the  laws,  but  not  to 
believe  in  the  doctrines,  for  they  laid  burdens  on  the  people 
grievous  to  be  borne.  Now,  if  these  burdens  were  their  belief 
Jesus  must  explain  them  away,  to  relieve  them,  and  liis  expla- 
nation was  tlieir  cure.  Therefore  He  said  to  them,  "Come  un- 
to me  all  ye  that  are  weary  and  heavy  leaden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest."  Jesus's  explanation  was  his  religion,  but  their  re- 
ligion contained  all  the  superstition  of  Egyptian  darkness, 
prayers,  sacrifices,  and  burnt  offerings. 

Jesus  did  not  condemn  any  of  the  above,  but  He  had  a 
knowledge  of  the  errors  that  man  is  subject  to  and  His  mis- 
sion was  to  bring  science  to  light,  in  regard  to  our  ignorance 
or  darkness,  and  put  man  into  a  state  where  he  might,  by  re- 
lieving the  sufferings  of  his  fellow  men,  be  of  some  advantage 
to  himself  and  to  the  world.  His  religion  was  not  of  this 
world,  and  tlie  world  knows  Him  not.  Christ  is  God  or 
Science,  and  to  know  God  is  to  know  Science  and  put  it  in 
practice  so  that  the  world  can  be  benefited  by  it.  Tliis  tells 
the  rules  of  action.  They  are  not  left  to  the  natural  man,  but 
they  must  prove  themselves  on  some  subject  that  is  in  need  of 


208  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

it.  The  same  subject  is  in  the  world  now  that  was  at  the  time 
when  Jesus  put  His  theory  into  practice.  He  gave  His 
disciples  knowledge  to  put  the  same  into  practice  for  the 
benefit  of  mankind. 

Who  art  thou,  0  man,  that  shall  say  to  the  poor  and  sick, 
lame  and  blind,  that  the  person  who  can  help  you  is  a  'Tium- 
bug"  or  acting  under  the  direction  of  the  devil?  If  the  devil 
will  take  your  aches  and  pains  and  relieve  you,  cling  to  him, 
and  at  the  end  of  your  disease  you  will  see  that  this  devil  is 
the  same  one  who  was  crucified  eighteen  hundred  years  ago, 
by  just  such  enemies  to  the  sick  as  they  have  now.  I,  for 
one,  am  willing  to  be  called  a  humbug  by  all  such  people.  I 
have  the  same  class  to  uphold  me  that  Jesus  had,  the  sick. 
The  well  opposed  Him,  and  the  well  oppose  me,  I  do  not  set 
myself  up  as  an  equal  with  Jesus,  or  any  other  man,  but  I  do 
profess  to  believe  in  that  principle  that  Jesus  taught,  which 
I  call  Christ.  That  I  try  to  put  into  practice  as  far  as  I 
understand  it,  and  the  sick  are  my  judges,  not  the  well;  for 
as  the  well  need  no  physician  they  cannot  judge  me.  Neither 
am  I  willing  to  be  judged  by  the  creeds  till  they  can  show 
that  their  belief  is  above  their  natural  power.  I  shall  not  take 
their  opinions  of  what  they  know  nothing  about,  I  will  draw 
a  line  between  the  professor  of  Christ  and  myself,  and  leave 
the  sick  to  pass  judgment.  As  I  have  the  Bible  I  have  the 
same  means  of  judging  as  any  one,  for  every  one  has  a  right 
to  his  opinion  concerning  it.  But  there  is  no  truth  in  an 
opinion  unless  it  can  be  put  into  practice  as  Christ  put  His  in- 
to practice.     Then  it  becomes  a  fact. 

What  does  Jesus  Himself  say  of  this  power?  He  admitted 
it,  for  He  says,  "of  myself  I  can  do  nothing,"  thus  admit- 
ting a  power  superior  to  Himself ;  and  also  when  asked  a  ques- 
tion by  His  disciples.  He  said,  "No  man  knoweth,  not  the  an- 
gels in  heaven,  neither  tlie  Son,  but  My  father  only."  At 
another  time  when  asked  by  a  scribe  who  had  been  listening 
to  Jesus,  while  He  reasoned  with  a  Sadducee,  "What  is  the 
first  commandment  of  all  ?"  Jesus  answered  "The  first  com- 
mandment is  Hear,  Oh,  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one 
Lord."  Here  He  admits  a  supreme  power,  and  says,  "Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself." 

The  young  man  said  unto  Him,  "Well,  Master,  thou  hast 
said  truly,  for  there  is  one  God,  and  there  is  none  other  than 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  209 

He,  and  to  love  Him  with  all  thy  heart  and  soul  is  more  than 
all  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices."  Jesus  saw  that  he  had  an- 
swered discreetly  and  He  said  unto  him,  "Thou  art  not 
far  from  the  kingdom  of  God."  These  questions  and  answers 
were  given  before  tbe  whole  multitude,  and  I  see  no  reason 
for  disputing  Jesus'  own  words  by  putting  a  misconstruction 
on  some  passage,  and  making  Jesus  something  that  neither  He 
nor  any  one  else  ever  thought  of.  He  was  accused  of  making 
Himself  equal  with  God,  but  that  was  their  ignorance,  which 
gave  that  construction,  and  if  I  had  not  been  accused  of  the 
same  thing  a  hundred  times,  I  might  put  the  same  construc- 
tion on  Jesus  as  others  do.  But  I  can  see,  and  show  to  the  sick 
beyond  a  doubt,  the  difference  between  Jesus  and  Christ,  and 
the  difference  between  the  two  words  gives  a  very  different 
meaning  to  religion.  The  church's  construction  makes  our 
acts  and  lives  one  thing  and  our  religion  another,  Jesus  made 
our  acts  the  effect  of  our  knowledge  and  in  proportion  as  we 
understand  Science  we  understand  God,  and  acknowledge  Him 
in  truth.  This  Science  separates  us  from  this  world  of  sin  and 
death  and  brings  life  and  immortality  to  light,  and  this  life 
was  what  Jesus  taught.  Ignorance  of  Christ  or  Science  put 
"Jesus"  and  "Christ"  together  and  said  "Jesus  Christ."  For 
superstition  could  not  account  for  any  of  the  cures  that  Jesus 
made  except  they  were  from  heaven,  and  although  Jesus  tried 
all  in  His  power  to  convince  them  to  the  contrary.  He  could 
not.  The  religious  people  of  Jesus'  day  like  the  Christians 
of  this  day,  made  heaven  and  hell  places  independent  of  man, 
and  although  some  may  deny  it  their  acts  give  the  lie  to  their 
protests. 

All  people  pray  to  a  being  independent  of  themselves,  ac- 
knowledging a  state  or  place  where  God  is,  and  when  they 
pray,  supposing  that  He  listens,  ask  Him  to  hear  their  prayers 
and  relieve  tlieir  wants.  This  is  precisely  what  the  lieathen 
did,  and  Jesus  called  them  hypocrites  and  condemned  them, 
for  He  said  this  offering  up  of  prayer  and  sacrifices  year  after 
year  could  never  take  away  sin  or  error,  so  Jesus  embraced 
Christ  or  Truth  and  laid  down  His  own  life  for  the  happiness 
of  mankind.  Before  this  the  world  knew  not  Christ  or 
Truth.  This  truth  Jesus  taught,  and  His  teaching  was  the 
healing  of  the  nations,  and  if  His  truth  had  not  been  mis- 
construed, the  world  at  this  time  would  liave  been  rid  of 
thousands  of  errors  it  now  has.     This  was  Jesus'  truth,  which 


210  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

was  to  the  people  a  mystery,  and  seemed  to  embrace  a  belief 
merely,  for  a  truth  to  a  person  who  cannot  understand  it  is  a 
belief.  But  Jesus  labored  to  convince  the  people  that  it  was 
a  science,  that  the  fruits  of  it  were  seen  in  His  practice,  and 
that  it  could  be  taught;  for  He  made  a  difference  between 
His  cures  and  His  disciples'  cures,  and  the  cures  of  the  rest 
of  the  world. 

The  magicians  and  sorcerers  cured  by  their  belief.  They 
thought  their  power  came  from  a  spirit-world,  and  they  acted 
upon  this  belief.  They  believed  that  disease  was  sent  into  the 
world  to  torment  mankind.  The  priests  had  the  same  belief. 
Each  one's  prayer  was  to  his  own  God,  to  keep  him  clear  of 
his  enemy.  The  priest  held  up  to  the  people  the  idea  that  they 
must  do  something  different  from  living  honestly  and  dealing 
with  mankind  as  though  we  were  one  family,  that  a  certain 
belief  was  necessary  to  keep  us  clear  of  hell,  which  itself  had 
been  invented  to  torment  man.  This  doctrine  kept  the  people 
in  ignorance  of  themselves  and  made  them  nervous,  giving 
rise  to  belief  in  evil  spirits.  As  people  are  all  the  time  inven- 
ting ideas  for  their  own  interest,  it  finally  led  to  the  intro- 
duction of  the  medical  faculty.  Now  it  seemed  to  cover  all 
the  ground  that  ignorance  and  superstition  wanted,  it  put 
the  masses  into  the  power  of  the  two  classes,  the  priests  and 
the  doctors.  The  priests  would  offer  up  prayers  to  their  God 
for  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  the  doctors  would  offer  up  pray- 
ers for  their  business.  The  people  are,  in  the  mean  time,  in 
the  condition  that  the  prophet  told  of  when  he  said,  "The 
prophets  prophesy  falsely,  and  the  priests  can  rule  by  their 
means,  and  the  people  love  to  have  it  so,  but  what  will  they 
do  in  the  end  thereof  ?" 

Jesus  wanted  to  introduce  this  Science,  which  He  called 
Christ,  which  gave  the  lie  to  all  the  old  opinions  of  Jesus' 
day.  He  had  no  heaven  or  hell  out  of  man,  no  happiness, 
or  misery  outside  of  us.  His  God  was  in  Him  and  in  us,  and 
His  prayers  were  in  Him  and  in  us,  and  His  life  and  ours  was 
this  Christ,  the  law  which  He  put  in  all  of  us.  If  this  law 
could  be  understood,  it  would  rid  us  of  all  the  evils  that  are 
bound  on  mankind.  It  would  not  keep  man  in  ignorance  of 
himself,  but  would  exalt  him  in  the  natural  world.  It  would 
rid  him  of  the  superstition  of  the  world,  would  make  men 
worship  God,  not  as  one  who  could  be  flattered  by  our 
hypocrisy,  but  as  a  God  of  science  that  gives  to  every  man 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  211 

just  what  he  learns.  Those  who  seek  Him  in  prayer  desiring 
to  learn  His  laws  will  be  rewarded  in  proportion  to  their 
labor.  He  asks  no  prayers  for  His  good,  and  a  prayer  made 
up  of  words  is  lost  unless  accompanied  by  good  to  some  one, 
and  if  we  do  good  to  one  another  our  prayer  is  in  the  act. 
When  Jesus  said  to  the  righteous,  "Come  ye  blessed  for  I 
was  naked  and  you  clothed  me,"  they  were  not  aware  that 
they  had  done  any  good,  but  He  said,  "Inasmuch  as  you  did  it 
unto  the  least  of  these  my  brethren  you  did  it  unto  me,"  or 
God,  and  in  His  answer  to  tlie  wicked,  "Inasmuch  as  you  did 
it  not  to  them,  ye  did  it  not  to  me,"  He  put  the  good  and  bad 
in  acts,  and  not  in  the  words.  So  true  prayer  is  in  our  acts, 
false  prayer  is  in  our  words,  and  by  their  fruits  you  shall 
know  them.  For  He  said,  "Not  all  those  who  say.  Lord, 
Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  or  Science"; 
not  those  who  say,  "I  understand  it,"  but  those  who  put  it 
into  practice  so  that  the  world  shall  be  the  wiser  for  the 
knowledge.  If  this  is  so,  "it  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go 
through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a  rich  man,"  or  one 
learned  in  this  world's  knowledge  to  embrace  this  Truth  or 
Christ.     But  I  say  to  all,  strive  to  understand. — March,  1860. 

now   I    HOLD   MY   PATIENTS 

The  question  is  often  asked,  how  I  hold  my  patients,  when 
I  give  no  medicine,  and  make  no  applications.  I  answer, 
it  is  through  my  knowledge.  Then  you  may  ask  me  where 
I  differ  from  others.  In  everything  so  far  as  disease  and 
what  produces  it  is  concerned.  All  persons  believe  in  dis- 
ease and  their  belief  is  in  the  thing  believed.  For  instance, 
take  consumption.  People  are  not  aware  that  consumption 
has  an  identity,  as  much  as  a  serpent  or  canker  worm,  that 
it  has  life  or  a  sort  of  knowledge.^  It  is  liable  to  get  hold 
of  us,  and  if  it  does  we  cannot  shake  it  off,  as  Paul  did  the 
viper,  from  his  hand.  All  diseases  have  an  identity  and  the 
well  are  likely  to  be  deceived.  But  these  diseases  are  in  the 
mind  as  much  as  ghosts,  witchcraft,  or  evil  spirits,  and  the 
fruits  of  this  belief  are  seen  in  almost  every  person.  These 
beliefs  show  what  the  people  are  afraid  of,  and  what  they 
have  to  contend  with,  and  make  it  necessary  for  them  to  liave 
help  in  driving  off  their  enemies.  For  if  a  person  cannot 
conquer  his  enemy  or  disease  himself,  he  must  have  help. 

1  That  is  through  the  life.or  reality  which  we  attribute  to  it. 


212  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

Now  the  people  involved  admit  the  existence  and  superiority 
of  their  enemy  or  disease,  and  commence  making  war  with 
him  by  first  firing  calomel,  and  if  that  does  not  start  him, 
the  next  is  blistering,  or  burning.  This  only  enrages  the 
enemy,  and  a  regular  battle  commences.  Finally  a  council 
of  physicians  is  called,  a  suspension  of  arms  takes  place,  a 
compromise  is  made,  health  yields  up  all  claims  to  happiness 
and  enjoyment,  and  the  victim  has  the  privilege  of  going 
about  a  cripple  and  an  outcast  the  balance  of  his  natural 
life,  knowing  all  the  time  that  he  is  liable  to  be  caught  by 
any  of  his  enemies,  at  any  time,  either  asleep  or  awake. 
This  keeps  him  in  a  nervous  state  of  mind,  not  fit  for  any 
business,  like  a  man  who  is  in  prison,  under  sentence  of 
death.     This  is  the  state  of  this  world. 

Now,  is  it  strange  that  a  person  is  known  by  this  charac- 
ter, and  is  afraid  of  this  state  of  mind  or  disease?  And 
when  one  who  has  the  power  of  restoring  health  and  destroy- 
ing these  enemies  comes  up  to  another  who  is  tormented  by 
these  devils,  is  it  strange  that  he  likes  him  and  feels  safe  in 
his  presence,  until  he  himself  is  perfectly  free  ?  This  feeling 
is  not  always  known  by  the  sick,  but  it  is  felt.  It  cannot 
be  understood,  for  its  language  is  its  feelings,  and  it  cannot 
talk  till  it  learns  to  speak  through  the  senses.  It  knows  and 
feels  its  friend,  and  clings  to  him  as  a  child  does  to  its  parent 
before  it  can  walk;  it  is  led  by  sympathy  till  it  can  go  alone 
and  can  understand  that  it  has  power  over  its  enemy.  Then 
its  knowledge  is  its  cure.  Till  then  it  feels  the  want  of  some 
one  who  can  protect  it  from  its  enemy.  Now  my  wisdom  is 
their  protector  and  my  explanation  is  their  cure.  My 
wisdom  is  accompanied  by  sympathy  for  their  troubles,  and 
like  a  shepherd  who  leads  his  sheep  I  lead  the  sick  home  to 
health  and  deliver  them  to  their  friends.  Then  I  leave  them 
happy,  and  feel  that  they  appreciate  the  benefit  I  have  been 
to  them.  This  money  cannot  buy.  This  is  what  holds  my 
patients.  It  is  what  none  but  the  sick  can  appreciate.  The 
well  know  nothing  of  the  feelings  of  the  sick,  therefore  to 
them  it  is  a  stumbling  block,  and  to  the  doctors  foolishness. 
—March,  1860. 

HOW    I   CURE   THE   SICK 

I  will  illustrate  to  you  the  way  in  which  I  cure,  or  correct 
the  sick.     You  know  I  talk  parables.     To  the  well  this  is 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  213 

of  no  consequence,  for  they  cannot  see  any  sense  in  my  talk. 
So  it  is  in  every  science  with  those  who  are  ignorant  of  the 
meaning  the  person  wishes  to  convey.  This  was  the  trouble 
Jesus  had  to  contend  with.  All  His  knowledge  must  be 
explained  by  parables,  for  the  people's  belief  was  in  the  thing 
believed.  To  reduce  their  belief  to  a  science  was  a  very  hard 
task,  for  it  had  to  be  done  by  parables  of  things  that  each  per- 
son could  imderstand.  When  He  talked  to  the  multitude  it 
was  about  the  Science  or  principle  that  was  intended  to  be 
applied  to  each  person's  individual  case. 

The  parable  of  the  sower  illustrated  the  principle  like  an 
illustration  regarding  some  science.  It  was  not  intended  to 
be  applied  to  any  individual  case,  therefore  when  the  disciples 
heard  the  parable,  they  did  not  understand  it,  and  wanted 
an  explanation.  Now  His  explanation  to  them  is  as  much  of 
a  parable  to  the  rest  of  the  world  as  His  parable  to  the  multi- 
tude was  to  His  disciples. 

So  a  parable  of  mine  is  of  no  use  to  the  well,  for  it  is  not 
intended  for  them,  and  must  be  varied  to  suit  the  case  that 
calls  it  out.  Like  a  lawyer's  argument,  it  depends  upon  tlie 
case  to  be  tried.  So  it  is  with  the  sick,  each  must  have  his 
case  explained  to  himself.  The  Science  can  be  explained  to 
the  well,  but  not  by  the  same  parables  that  are  necessary  to  be 
applied  to  the  sick. 

I  will  illustrate.  A  lady  called  on  me  whose  feelings  were 
as  follows :  She  felt  so  weak  that  she  could  not  keep  from 
stooping  over,  it  was  with  difficulty  that  she  could  sit  up. 
This  feeling  I  could  feel  but  the  woman  who  was  with  her 
could  not  detect  it.  To  cure  her  and  make  her  sit  up,  the 
work  must  be  done  by  an  explanation  she  could  understand, 
by  a  parable,  because  the  patient's  identity  was  in  her  belief. 

Her  body  had  an  identity  apart  from  the  earthly  body,  and 
this  sick  (spiritual)  body  is  the  one  that  tells  the  trouble. 
This  body  seemed  to  be  holding  up  the  natural  body,  till  it 
was  so  weak  it  could  barely  sit  up.  This  spiritual  body  is 
what  flows  from,  or  comes  from  the  natural  body,  and  contains 
ajl  tilie  feelings  .complained  of.  It  speaks  through  the 
natural  body,  and  like  the  heat  from  a  fire  has  its  bounds, 
is  inclosed  by  walls  or  partitions  as  much  as  a  prison. 
But  the  confinement  is  in  our  belief,  its  odor  is  its  iden- 
tity; its  knowledge  is  in  its  odor;  its  misery  arises 
from   false   ideas,   and   its   ideas   are   in   itself,   connected 


214  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

with  its  natural  body.  This  is  all  matter,  and  has  an  iden- 
tity. The  trouble,  like  sound,  has  no  locality  of  itself,  but 
can  be  directed  to  any  place.  Now  as  this  intelligence  is 
around  the  body,  it  locates  its  trouble  in  the  natural  body, 
calls  it  "pain"  or  by  some  other  name.  Now  the  sick  person  is 
in  this  prison,  with  the  body,  which  body  feels  as  though  it 
contained  life.  But  the  life  is  in  the  spiritual  body,  which 
being  ignorant  of  itself  places  its  own  identity  in  the  flesh  and 
blood.  This  is  because  the  heat  which  arises  from  the  body 
contains  the  identity,  and  the  soul  puts  such  a  construction 
upon  the  pain  as  has  been  taught,  and  thinks  its  trouble  is  in 
and  part  of  the  natural  body.  This  is  the  prison  which 
Christ,  not  Jesus,  entered,  and  broke  the  walls  by  His  word  or 
power  and  set  the  captive  free.  At  this  door  He  stands  and 
knocks,  and  if  we  will  let  Him  in  He  will  explain  away  the 
error  or  forgive  the  sin,  and  save  the  soul.  He  will  deliver 
us  from  our  earthly  hell  made  by  the  wisdom  of  the  world. — 
March,  1860. 

DO    PEOPLE   REALLY   BELIEVE   WHAT   TIIEY    THINK? 

To  some  this  may  seem  a  strange  question  but  it  involves 
more  of  our  knowledge  than  we  think  it  does.  Our  belief  in- 
volves all  our  religious  opinions.  Our  opinions  are  the  foun- 
dation of  our  misery,  while  our  happiness  is  in  the  knowledge 
that  follows  the  solving  of  the  problem  or  error. 

To  illustrate,  when  solving  a  problem  you  have  an  opinion, 
and  are  in  trouble  about  it.  But  when  the  answer  comes  the 
happiness  accompanies  it.  Then  there  is  no  more  death,  or 
ignorance,  sorrow  or  excitement.  Error  and  ignorance  have 
passed  away,  all  has  become  new,  and  we  are  as  though  we 
never  had  been.  We  have  all  the  happiness  we  want;  the 
misery  is  gone,  and  the  spirit  returns  to  the  Great  Spirit,  ready 
to  solve  another  problem. 

Now  the  problem  I  wish  to  solve  is  what  I  first  named.  Do 
we  really  believe  in  what  we  think  we  do?  I  answer,  "No," 
and  shall  show  that  we  deny  what  we  profess  to  believe  in 
almost  all  we  say  and  do,  thereby  proving  ourselves  either 
hypocritical  or  ignorant.  We  profess  to  believe  in  Christ,  that 
He  is  God,  that  He  knows  all  things,  and  is  capable  of  hear- 
ing and  answering  our  prayers.  We  also  believe  that  man  is 
a  free  agent,  that  he  is  capable  of  judging  between  right 
and  wrong,  and  believe  that  if  man  does  not  do  right  he  will 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  215 

be  punished.  When  asked  for  proof  of  all  this,  we  are  re- 
ferred to  the  Bible.  When  we  ask  an  explanation  how  Christ 
cured,  we  are  told  it  was  by  miracle.  If  we  ask  if  Christ  did 
not  know  all  things,  the  answer  is,  "Yes."  Then  did  He  not 
know  what  He  was  about,  what  He  did,  and  how  He  did  it? 
**Yes."  Then  if  you  ask  how  He  knew,  the  answer  is,  "It 
is  a  miracle,"  or  "The  ways  of  God  are  past  finding  out," — 
and  thus  you  are  left  in  the  dark.  Now  those  who  reason  this 
way  will  not  accept  any  fact  based  upon  any  other  way  of 
reasoning.  You  must  bring  the  strongest  proof  to  convince 
them  of  a  fact  produce  in  the  same  way,  otherwise  they  will 
not  believe.  The  fact  is  they  don't  reason  or  compare  at  all, 
and  admit  what  they  have  not  the  slightest  proof  of,  except 
the  explanation  of  some  person  of  doubful  existence. 

Now,  wlien  I  show  that  I  can  produce  a  plienomenon  that 
to  all  appearance  is  just  like  some  produced  by  Christ,  and  in 
the  living,  who  speak  for  themselves,  I  should  like  to  know 
by  what  authority  anyone  dares  to  say  that  it  is  not  done  in 
the  same  way  that  Christ  did  His  works.  If  they  cannot  tell 
how  I  do  it,  or  how  He  did  it,  how  do  they  know  but  that  it 
is  done  in  the  same  way?  Their  only  objection  can  be  that 
it  happens  to  be  contrary  to  their  own  opinion,  which  is  not 
worth  anything,  and  they  admit  it;  for  they  will  say  it  is  a 
miracle  to  them.  This  makes  them  what  Jesus  said  of  such 
guides.  He  called  them  blind  guides  leading  the  blind, 
and  warned  the  people  against  them.  He  called  them  whited 
sepulchres,  and  all  kinds  of  names,  and  the  world  has  been  led 
by  such  guides  every  since.  Jesus  told  the  people  how  they 
should  know  them.  He  said,  "Not  all  who  say  Lord !  Lord ! 
shall  enter  into  this  theory  or  kingdom,  but  he  that  doeth 
the  will  of  the  Father  that  sent  him."  Now  what  do  they 
do  that  Jesus  did  ?  Nothing.  You  cannot  point  to  one  act 
that  Jesus  did  that  these  guides  do.  All  who  do  good  ac- 
cording to  Scripture  imitate  the  Pharisees  in  every  respect. 
He  called  them  the  children  of  the  devil,  and  He  said  their 
father  (or  error)  was  a  liar  from  the  beginning.  Jesus  judged 
them  by  their  works,  and  told  the  people  to  do  the  same ;  for 
He  said,  "by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." — March,  1860. 

JESUS  AND  CHRIST 

When  Jesus  asked  Peter,  "Whom  do  the  people  say  that  I 
am?"    Peter  and  the  disciples  said,  "Some  say,  John  the 


216  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

Baptist,  some  Elias,  and  others  Jeremiali  or  one  of  the  pro- 
phets." Now  all  of  these  were  dead,  therefore  they  did  not 
mean  to  confound  the  man  Jesus  with  them.  But  they  be- 
lieved the  spirits  of  these  men  came  back  and  entered  the  liv- 
ing, and  talked  to  the  people.  Jesus  knew  that  this  was 
their  belief,  and  they  knew  it.  When  Jesus  asked  His  dis- 
ciples the  question.  He  never  intended  to  convey  the  idea  that 
He  wanted  to  know  who  He,  Jesus,  was,  but  who  this  power 
was.  They  thought  it  must  be  the  spirit  of  some  person  who 
had  been  on  earth,  and  when  Peter  said  it  was  the  Christ  or 
God:  Truth  or  Science,  this  was  a  new  idea,  and  Jesus  an- 
swered, "Flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  this  explanation 
to  }'«u,"  and  upon  this  explanation  He,  Jesus,  would  build 
His  Christ  or  Church,  or  Truth,  and  the  gates  of  error  could 
not  prevail  against  it.  He,  that  is,  Jesus,  would  give  Peter 
the  keys  or  explanation  so  that  he  could  understand  and  prac- 
tise it  for  the  benefit  of  mankind.  This  knowledge  would 
give  him  power  to  loose  those  who  were  bound  in  heaven  or  in 
the  mind,  and  loose  those  bound  in  the  earthly  body.  The 
idea  that  the  man  Jesus  was  anything  but  a  man,  was  never 
thought  of.  Jesus  never  had  the  least  idea  of  such  an 
explanation. 

The  prophets  had  foretold  a  Messiah  that  should  come,  and 
when  the  child  Jesus  was  born,  the  people  believed  that 
David's  spirit  had  come  and  taken  possession  of  his  body, 
so  they  called  Jesus  the  son  of  David.  But  they  meant  to 
be  understood  that  it  was  David's  spirit  speaking  through 
Him,  Jesus,  and  some  called  Him  the  Son  of  Man. 

Now,  every  one  admitted  the  power  that  Jesus  had,  but 
there  was  a  difference  of  opinion  in  regard  to  it.  All  men 
have  a  power,  but  to  have  a  power  superior  to  the  natural 
man,  has  been  a  question  ever  since  the  world  began.  Upon 
this  question  the  people  split.  To  believe  it  is  to  believe 
in  a  power  the  natural  man  cannot  explain.  If  Jesus  had 
a  power,  we  must  admit  a  knowledge  superior  to  it,  that  gov- 
erns and  directs  it,  and  if  we  do  admit  it  where  does  it  come 
from  ?  All  will  answer,  from  God.  AU  will  admit  that  there 
is  another  power  that  afiPects  man  for  evil.  There  must  then 
be  a  sort  of  bad  knowledge,  or  false  Christ  that  governs  it. 
How  are  we  to  know  the  good  from  the  bad?  Only  by 
the  fruits  or  direction.  If  we  miust  take  an  opinion  we  have 
no  standard ;  for  every  one  has  a  right  to  his  own  opinion,  and 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  217 

by  doing  so  we  throw  away  Christ's  teaching  when  He  says  by 
their  fruits  men  are  to  be  judged.  We  judge  them  by  their 
works.  What  are  the  works?  I  suppose  Jesus  knew  what 
He  meant,  and  He  meant  to  give  His  disciples  tiie  true  idea 
when  He  called  them  together  and  gave  them  power  to  heal 
all  sorts  of  diseases,  and  cast  out  devils.  Did  He  mean  to  give 
power  without  any  knowledge  how  to  apply  it,  or  did  He 
give  the  knowledge  with  the  power?  If  He  gave  the  knowl- 
edge so  that  it  could  be  applied,  are  not  the  ones  who  apply 
it  better  acquainted  with  the  power  than  those  who  are  ignor- 
ant of  the  power  and  the  knowledge? 

I  will  try  to  illustrate  what  Jesus  meant  by  these  powers, 
when  He  was  accused  of  curing  by  ignorance.  You  may  have 
seen  in  the  paper  an  account  of  a  young  lady  being  cured  by 
the  prayers  of  a  Mormon  preacher.  I  have  no  doubt  that  he 
raised  her  up  through  his  prayers,  and  the  belief  in  Mormon- 
ism  would  naturally  be  established  in  the  young  lady's  mind. 
This  cure,  as  far  as  it  goes,  is  to  establish  Mormonism. 
Now  if  the  Mormons  established  all  their  belief  and  that  is 
right,  why  do  not  all  people  who  believe  in  prayer  embrace 
Mormonism  and  all  the  Mormons  preach  ? 

When  the  disciples  said  to  Jesus,  We  saw  men  casting  out 
devils  in  Thy  name  and  forbade  them,  He  said,  "Forbid  them 
not,  for  they  that  are  with  us  are  not  against  us,  and  they  that 
are  not  with  us  scattereth  abroad."  Here  Jesus  showed  the 
difference  between  His  knowledge  and  theirs  in  using  thia 
power.  Tlie  others  cured,  but  the  world  was  no  wiser  for 
their  cures,  so  they  scattered  abroad.  The  cure  was  right, 
but  it  was  done  through  ignorance. 

This  is  the  way  with  prayer.  Prayer  contains  no  knowledge 
and  only  leaves  men  in  ignorance  and  superstition.  Seeing 
this  account  in  print,  and  knowing  how  it  was  done,  I  thought 
I  would  try  the  same  experiment  on  a  lady,  myself,  accord- 
ing to  my  way  of  curing  disease.  I  have  no  creed  or  belief. 
What  I  know  I  can  put  into  practice,  and  when  I  put  it  into 
practice  I  am  conscious  of  it,  and  know  what  will  be  its 
effect.  I  sent  to  the  lady  (the  subject  of  my  experiment)  who 
lived  out  of  town,  a  letter,  telling  her  I  would  try  my  power 
on  her  from  the  time  I  commenced  the  letter  which  was  Sun- 
day, and  visit  her  at  different  times  till  the  next  Sabbath, 
and  on  the  next  Sabbath  I  would  come  between  tiie  hours  of 
eleven  and  twelve,  and  make  her  rise  from  her  bed,  where  she 


218  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

had  been  confined  by  sickness,  unable  to  walk  for  nine  months. 
At  the  time  appointed  I  went  and  used  my  power  to  restore 
her  to  the  use  of  her  limbs  and  to  health.  On  the  Wednesday 
following  my  letter,  her  husband  wrote  me  that  on  Monday 
night  she  was  very  restless,  but  was  better  the  next  day.  On 
the  Monday  following  that,  I  received  a  letter  saying  that  at 
the  time  1  appointed  for  her  to  rise  from  her  bed,  she  arose 
from  the  bed,  walked  into  the  dining  room,  and  returned, 
and  laid  down  a  short  time.  She  then  arose  again,  dined, 
and  also  took  tea  with  the  family,  rested  well  that  night,  and 
continued  to  do  well.  Now  I  suppose  all  of  this  transaction 
would  be  accounted  for  by  the  religious  community  by  the 
power  of  the  imagination  of  the  patient.  Suppose  you  do 
give  it  that  explanation.  How  was  the  lady  cured  by  prayer? 
On  the  same  principle,  I  suppose.  If  so,  how  was  it  with 
the  centurion  who  came  to  Jesus,  saying  that  he  had  a  ser- 
vant lying  sick  with  the  palsy,  grievously  tormented?  Jesus 
said  unto  him,  "I  will  come  and  heal  him."  The  centurion 
said,  "Speak  the  word  only  and  my  servant  shall  be  healed." 
Then  Jesus  told  him  to  go  his  way  and  the  servant  was  healed 
in  that  self-same  hour.  Now  who  cured  the  servant?  Jesus, 
or  the  centurion,  or  the  servant's  own  imagination?  Settle 
tliis  question  among  yourselves. 

Another  case :  When  Jesus  came  into  Peter's  house.  He  saw 
the  mother  of  Peter's  wife  lying  sick  with  a  fever.  He 
touched  her  and  she  arose  and  administered  unto  them.  Now 
if  you  cannot  tell  how  this  was  done,  and  yet  admit  it,  you 
must  admit  a  power  that  you  cannot  explain  or  understand, 
and  if  you  cannot  understand  it,  it  is  an  unknown  power.  To 
attribute  to  any  individual  this  power  from  which  you  hope 
to  derive  benefit  is  to  worship  an  unknown  God  or  principle. 
This  principle  which  you  ignorantly  worship,  this  I  declare 
unto  you  by  explaining  it. — March,  1860. 

WRONG  USE  OF  WORDS 

We  often  use  words,  putting  upon  them  a  wrong  construc- 
tion, and  think  that  a  person  is  bound  to  believe  what  we  say 
because  we  say  it.  For  instance,  you  often  hear  a  scien- 
tific person  make  this  assertion,  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
weight,  that  weight  is  attraction,  that  its  true  scientific  expla- 
nation is  attraction.  Now  this  is  easy  to  say,  but  hard  to 
prove.     You  cannot  convince  a  man  of  what  does  not  come 


CHRIST  OB  SCIENCE  219 

within  his  senses,  and  he  will  not  believe  it  because  some  one 
says  so.  Neither  party  is  right,  and  both  are  nearly  ripr'it. 
If  you  place  the  two  weights  in  an  exhausted  receiver  '.ley 
will  both  fall  at  the  same  time.  This  proves  attraocion. 
Take  them  into  the  open  air,  and  then  the  iron  wei^lit  will 
fall  the  faster.  Now  is  it  attraction,  or  must  you  introduce 
another  word?  Why  do  they  not  fall  in  the  same  time  as  in 
the  receiver?  Because  they  have  to  fall  through  i  medium 
called  atmosphere  or  air.  Tliis  medium  is  more  dense  near 
the  earth,  but  as  it  recedes  from  the  earth  it  becomes  less 
dense,  and  bodies  are  weighed  or  measured  in  this  medium. 
So  attraction  is  of  no  use  except  to  show  that  all  things  have 
a  tendency  towards  the  earth.  To  suppose  that  the  attrac- 
tion is  in  the  thing  attracted  is  wrong,  and  so  is  the  idea  that 
the  weight  is  in  the  matter  attracted.  The  word  weight  is 
the  name  of  matter  in  motion,  for  when  there  is  no  motion 
it  is  called  pressure.  Weight  in  motion  makes  mechanical 
power,  and  as  velocity  increases  weight  diminishes  until 
weight  is  lost  in  velocity,  then  the  whole  is  under  the  law  of 
attraction. 

Now  as  the  human  body  is  matter  and  mind  is  weight,  the 
natural  man  knows  no  law  of  attraction,  any  more  than  the 
metal  knows  of  the  attraction  that  governs  it.  The  law  or 
science  that  governs  man  is  as  much  in  the  dark  to  the  natu- 
ral man  as  attraction  is  to  weight.  Attraction  knows  weight 
is  ignorance.  As  the  mind  is  like  the  weight,  and  the  soul 
or  truth  is  like  the  attraction,  as  we  gain  in  knowledge  we 
lose  in  mind  or  ignorance.  So  as  perfect  velocity  casts  out 
weight,  perfect  knowledge  casts  out  mind  or  ignorance,  and 
truth  reigns  in  all.  God  is  the  attraction  of  both.  Ignorance, 
like  the  brute,  sees  no  higher  law  than  itself,  therefore  the 
ignorant  act  in  accordance  with  their  belief.  Man,  who  is 
a  little  above  the  brute,  has  discovered  that  there  is  a  law 
of  attraction,  and  that  same  knowledge  sees  in  man  a  higher 
and  more  intelligent  law  of  knowledge  that  the  natural  man 
knows  nothing  of.  This  teaches  man  that  as  he  loses  in 
ignorance  by  embracing  the  truth  he  leaves  this  world  of 
error,  and  as  he  learns  Science  he  disregards  error  till  all 
error  is  swallowed  up  in  truth.  Then  one  shall  not  say  to 
another,  "Know  you  the  truth?"  but  all  shall  know  it  from 
the  least  to  the  greatest.  Then  disease  shall  be  destroyed  and 
truth  shall  reign  all  in  all. — March,  18G0. 


220  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

HARMONY^  I 
1 

('an  two  persons  be  in  harmony  except  they  be  agreed? 
If  ycu  are  affected  by  any  person  in  a  way  that  produces  fear, 
you  cannot  be  in  perfect  harmony  with  another  till  the  fear 
is  cast  out.  If  it  is  from  some  idea  that  affects  your  charac- 
ter, you  will  be  imprisoned  in  the  idea  till  free  from 
it.  The  i'^ea  may  or  may  not  be  accompanied  by  an  individ- 
ual, but  if  it  is  so  accompanied  you  will  be  affected  by  that 
person  in  your  sleep,  the  same  as  in  your  waking  state.  One 
of  these  effects  is  attributed  to  the  natural  mind,  and  the 
other  to  the  spiritual  mind,  but  both  have  the  same  effect  on 
health. 

But  as  my  knowledge  contains  no  matter  I  am  free  from 
your  prison,  and  as  I  break  or  destroy  the  prison  or  person 
that  holds  you,  you  come  out  of  that  spiritual  idea  and  come 
to  me.  You  will  have  no  fear,  and  if  you  dream  of  me  you 
will  not  be  afraid.  I  am  your  protector,  but  till  you  know 
who  I  am  you  may  be  afraid  because  you  have  been  deceived 
so  many  times.  You  look  upon  all  sensation  with  suspicion, 
and  you  suspect  yourself.  The  ignorance  of  yourself  is  the 
worst  enemy  that  you  have  to  contend  with ;  for  its  charac- 
ter is  public  opinion,  which  is  taken  for  truth. 

To  separate  us  from  what  we  look  upon  as  truth  is  not  a  very 
easy  task,  for  sometimes  we  think  we  like  the  very  thing  we 
really  hate.  This  keeps  us  in  ignorance  of  ourselves.  When 
we  would  do  good  evil  is  present  with  us.  It  is  not  ourselves 
but  the  evil  that  dwelleth  in  us.  This  evil  comes  from  the 
knowledge  of  this  world,  and  as  this  world  is  made  up  of  flesh 
and  blood,  no  true  knowledge  is  in  it.  To  separate  us  from 
the  error,  and  bring  us  into  harmony  is  to  explain  the  false 
idea  away,  and  then  all  sorrow  will  pass  away,  nothing  will 
remain  save  the  recollection  of  what  is  past,  like  a  dream  or 
nightmare,  and  you  will  not  be  likely  to  get  into  the  same 
error  again. 

All  sensation,  when  first  made,  contains  no  direction,  but 
is  simply  a  shock.  Error  puts  a  false  construction  or  opinion 
npon  it,  and  speaks  disease  into  existence.  The  mind  is  then 
imprisoned  in  the  idea,  and  all  the  evils  that  follow  are  what 
jare  called  disease.  I  shall  speak  of  two  kinds  of  disease. 
One  is  called  by  the  doctors,  local,  the  other  nervous.  I 
make  no  difference  as  far  as  the  effect  of  the  mind  is  concerned. 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  221 

Nervous  'diseases  are  the  effect  of  the  regular's  opinion  re- 
duced to  a  belief,  and  so  are  all  others.  I  will  state  two  cases 
to  show  the  difference.  A  person  is  exposed  to  the  cold.  Ig- 
norance and  superstition,  have  reduced  [this  sensation]  to  a 
disease  called  cold  or  consumption.  This  is  set  down  as  a  real 
disease,  and  so  it  is,  but  it  is  based  upon  an  ignorant  super- 
stitious idea.  This  is  one  of  the  errors  of  this  world,  judged 
by  this  world  and  proved  by  the  effect  on  the  body.  This  is 
called  "real,  and  no  mistake." 

Now,  tell  another  that  there  is  a  serpent  in  his  breast,  or  a 
hell  that  will  torment  him  in  case  he  does  not  dream  just 
such  dreams  or  believe  just  so,  and  when  you  have  succeeded 
in  making  the  person  believe  this,  seeing  him  tormented  and 
miserable  you  turn  about  and  accuse  him  of  being  fidgety  or 
nervous.  All  the  sympathy  he  gets  is  to  be  told  that  he  is 
weak-minded  for  believing  what  doctors  and  ministers  have 
told  him,  and  warned  him  against  for  years.  This  is  the 
judgment  of  this  world's  belief.  To  condemn  all  this  folly 
is  to  disbelieve  in  all  peoples'  opinions  that  tend  to  make  one 
sick  or  unhappy.  Let  God  or  Truth  be  true,  and  all  men 
liars.  If  two  ideas  come  in  conflict  in  you,  investigate  the 
wrong  and  you  will  find  that  it  is  from  some  one's  opinion. 
You  have  tried  to  carry  it  out,  to  your  own  destruction.  You 
have  taken  some  effect  for  an  element.  This  makes  all  the 
trouble.  Error  can  produce  no  element,  but  can  only  create 
disease  and  misery.  Elements  are  like  true  love  or  Science. 
They  contain  no  evil  except  when  hatred  or  passion  is  put  in. 
Then  they  may  take  the  name  of  the  author  of  the  evil. 
For  instance,  you  may  love  a  person,  and  he  may  love  liquor, 
you  may  be  induced  to  drink;  your  love  for  the  person  may 
be  transferred  to  the  liquor,  and  you  may  become  a  drunk- 
ard. Now  to  cure  you  is  to  have  some  one  interest  you  in 
those  who  have  a  distaste  for  liquor,  and  in  that  way,  if  you 
follow  your  friend,  and  if  he  knows  what  he  is  about,  he 
restores  you  to  health  and  happiness. — April,  1860. 

HARMONY,  II 

When  two  persons  are  in  harmony  in  regard  to  a  fact,  they 
are  as  one,  for  there  is  no  jar.  The  fact  may  be  of  truth,  or 
error,  but  if  they  are  of  the  same  opinion  in  regard  to  it,  then 
they  harmonize.  If  the  harmony  is  pleasure,  it  is  well,  if  it 
is  trouble,  it  is  harmony  with  them  and  discord  with  some- 


222  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

thing  else.  Error  cannot  be  in  harmony  with  truth.  Ig- 
norance is  as  a  blank,  error  is  the  working  of  ignorance  to 
arrive  at  harmony  or  truth.  Truth  can  govern  this  chemical 
change  in  ignorance  to  bring  it  in  harmony  with  science. 
Truth  contains  no  happiness,  no  misery,  but  is  that  power  that 
governs  all  things  according  to  itself.  This  truth  is  in  all 
men,  but  it  is  not  in  the  brutes,  for  it  is  not  matter  but  the 
knowledge  of  creating  matter  or  destroying  it.  Therefore, 
fear  not  that  power  that  can  destroy  the  body  and  nothing 
more,  but  fear  that  power  that  can  destroy  both  body  and 
soul.  The  power  that  can  destroy  and  create  matter,  is  the 
destruction  of  the  life  of  error.  Ignorance  says  in  its  heart 
there  is  no  such  power.  Error  knows  that  there  is  but  is 
ignorant  of  its  locality.  To  ignorance  this  power  is  an  un- 
known God.  The  knowledge  of  this  power  is  the  harmony 
of  one  person  in  trouble  with  another  in  truth  and  happiness. — 
April,  1860. 

DIFFERENCE  OF   OPINION  ABOUT   THE  DEAD 

Why  should  there  be  such  a  difference  in  opinion  in  regard 
to  the  dead?  It  is  of  the  body,  I  suppose.  If  the  body  is 
matter,  has  matter  life?  If  it  has  then  the  life  is  a  part  of 
the  body,  and  if  the  body  dies  the  life  dies  also.  If  you 
mean  that  this  is  the  end  of  man,  what  lives  after  the  life  and 
body  die  ?  You  will  say,  the  soul.  Where  is  the  soul  ?  Has 
any  one  ever  seen  it  ?  or  is  it  an  opinion  ?  The  fact  is  that 
the  theory  of  the  body  and  soul  is  not  in  keeping  with  the 
progress  of  truth  or  science.  It  leaves  everything  in  the 
dark.  It  gives  no  proof  of  any  phenomenon,  but  assumes  that 
man  must  take  an  opinion  of  some  one  about  which  no  proof 
can  be  shown,  unless  you  admit  an  opinion  of  something  that 
took  place  five  thousand  years  ago,  and  was  renewed  eighteen 
hundred  years  ago.  Jesus  tried  to  establish  the  kingdom  of 
truth  in  man  so  that  men  could  teach  it,  but  man  was  not 
developed  enough  to  receive  it. 

It  is  sometimes  supposed  that  the  wisdom  of  God  or  Science 
is  made  manifest  in  some  simple  girl  or  man.  This  is  the 
case,  and  phenomena  are  constantly  occurring,  which  bafSe 
the  world's  wisdom  to  explain.  ...  I  can  prove  that  mind  is 
spiritual  matter,  that  there  is  no  matter  without  mind,  and 
that  death  is  nothing  but  an  opinion  or  state  of  mind  made  up 
of  matter  which  can  be  destroyed  like  any  other  opinion.     It 


CHRIST  OB  SCIENCE  223 

is  true  to  the  soul  that  is  in  matter,  but  to  the  Science  that 
is  out  of  the  matter  it  is  nothing  but  an  idea.  The  word 
matter  is  applied  to  man  in  his  lowest  state,  just  a  little  above 
the  brute.  .  .  . 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  every  man  who  walks  upright 
is  to  be  set  down  as  a  scientific  man,  nor  is  it  true  that  every 
one  who  calls  himself  scientific  is  so.  But  it  is  he  who  can 
show  himself  so  to  the  world  by  his  acts,  who  can  explain 
some  truth,  thereby  putting  the  world  in  possession  of  a  fact 
that  it  has  been  ignorant  of,  increasing  the  wisdom  and  hap- 
piness of  mankind.     This  is  the  case  with  Science. 

Now,  if  death  can  be  explained  away  so  that  man  can  be 
put  in  possession  of  life  eternal,  the  world  will  be  put  in  pos- 
session of  a  fact  it  is  now  ignorant  of.  This  I  will  try  to 
do.  What  is  life?  It  is  admitted  that  it  is  something.  It 
is  consciousness  of  existence,  and  death  is  the  fear  of  the  anni- 
hilation of  that  consciousness.  The  natural  man  never  sees 
anything  beyond  the  idea  of  his  belief.  Therefore  he  lives  in 
death  and  is  all  his  life  subject  to  his  own  belief.  Convince 
man  that  there  is  something  independent  of  this  belief  that 
is  true,  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  matter  only  as  it  is 
spoken  into  existence,  and  he  will  then  see  that  mind  is  the 
matter  or  error  that  is  his  belief.  As  his  belief  changes  the 
matter  or  opinion  will  change,  and  when  a  chemical  change 
takes  place  the  mind  or  opinion  will  be  destroyed  and  truth 
or  Science  take  its  place.  Then  Science  will  stand  out  from 
mind  or  matter  and  show  how  mind  can  be  made  the  medium 
of  any  soul  to  bring  about  any  belief.  When  man  arrives  at 
that  then  death  will  be  swallowed  up  in  Science.  Then  the 
world  will  rejoice  in  the  Science  that  teaches  man  that  he 
can  be  moulded  to  any  belief  taking  a  form  to  suit  its  author, 
and  that  all  misery  is  in  ourselves  arising  from  some  idea 
that  our  soul  is  in  like  a  prison.  The  destruction  of  the 
prison  is  the  destruction  of  our  belief,  and  the  liberation 
of  our  soul  from  bondage  is  life  eternal.  This  is  God  or 
Science.— April,  1860. 

EESDRRECTION 

It  has  been  generally  taught  that  there  is  a  resurrection  of 
this  flesh  and  blood,  or  that  this  body  should  rise  from  the 
dead.  Now  if  death  is  anytliing  independent  of  ourselves, 
then  it  is  not  a  part  of  our  identity,  and  if  death  is  the  annihi- 


224  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

lation  of  life,  then  life  dies  and  if  your  life  dies  it  is  not 
life.  This  absurdity  arises  from  the  fact  that  man  began 
to  philosophize  before  he  understood  himself.  Man  is  super- 
stitious from  ignorance.  He  sees  through  a  medium  of  ig- 
norance called  matter,  therefore  he  sees  nothing  outside  of 
his  belief.  His  reason  is  a  part  of  his  belief,  therefore  he  is 
to  himself  just  what  he  thinks  he  is.  But  his  belief  makes 
his  life  and  death  of  the  same  identity.  Therefore  when  he 
speaks  of  life  he  speaks  of  saving  it  or  losing  it,  as  though  it 
were  matter  and  must  go  through  a  chemical  change  before 
it  could  go  to  heaven  or  be  separated  from  itself.  Thus  we 
are  taught  to  believe  that  our  lives  are  liable  to  be  lost  and 
cast  into  some  place  of  torment,  if  we  do  not  do  something 
to  save  the  soul,  as  though  life  were  a  thing  independent  of 
ourself,  and  we  must  look  out  for  it  or  lose  it.  Absurd  as 
this  is,  it  is  the  belief  of  all  mankind,  infidel  or  Christian. 

Therefore  we  are  taught  to  believe  that  Jesus  came  to  make 
all  right,  suffered  and  died  and  rose  again,  to  let  men  know 
that  they  should  rise.  Let  us  see  what  was  really  accom- 
plished by  His  mission  according  to  His  followers'  opinions 
of  Him.  We  are  told  that  man  had  wandered  away  from 
God,  and  had  become  so  wicked  that  it  was  necessary  that 
something  should  be  done,  or  he  wauld  be  in  danger  of  being 
banished  from  God's  presence.  What  was  required  of  him  in 
order  to  be  saved  was  to  repent  and  return  to  God,  only 
believing  that  he  should  never  die.  Therefore,  his  life  de- 
pended on  his  belief,  for  if  he  did  not  repent  or  change  his 
mind,  he  would  be  damned.  Now,  what  are  we  called  upon  to 
believe?  In  the  first  place,  you  must  believe  that  Jesus,  the 
man,  was  Christ  or  God,  and  that  He  died  on  the  cross,  and 
that  the  man  Jesus  rose  from  the  dead  and  went  to  heaven, 
there  to  appear  before  God  and  sit  down  with  God  in  heaven. 
If  we  believe  this  we  will  be  saved.  If  we  do  not  believe 
it,  we  must  be  damned.  Now  you  see  that  our  lives  are  in  our 
belief,  and  our  belief  is  made  up  of  some  one's  opinion  who 
knows  just  as  much  as  we. 

I,  for  one,  do  not  reason  in  that  way.  I  know  that  man  has 
two  identities,  one  in  this  state  called  Christian  or  diseased, 
and  one  in  the  spiritual  or  scientific  state.  Death  and  life 
are  the  two  identities.  Life  is  the  knowledge  of  our  existence, 
which  has  no  matter.  Death  is  the  name  of  that  state  of 
mind  that  reasons  as  man  reasons.     The  Ufe  of  this  state 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  226 

depends  on  its  reason.  It  reasons  that  life  is  in  it  and  a  part 
of  it,  and  at  the  same  time  acknowledges  that  life  is  something 
that  can  be  lost  or  saved,  and  reasons  about  it  as  one  man 
reasons  with  another.  Death  reasons  also  with  the  idea  that 
it  is  saving  its  life,  and  invents  all  sorts  of  diseases  which 
destroy  its  state  of  self.  It  prays  to  be  saved,  it  fasts  and 
observes  forms  and  ceremonies.  It  is  very  strict  in  its  laws 
to  protect  its  life.  Knowledge  is  its  destruction,  so  it  fears 
God  or  Science.  Its  life  is  not  destroyed  but  its  opinions  are, 
and  its  opinions  are  matter.  The  destroying  of  its  opinions 
is  death,  but  not  annihilation  of  matter,  but  of  error.  The 
matter  returns  to  its  former  condition  ready  to  be  formed 
into  some  other  idea.  These  beliefs  are  from  the  knowledge 
of  this  world,  and  are  the  inventions  of  man ;  but  the  wisdom 
of  this  world  is  foolishness  with  God  or  Science.  This  world 
is  made  up  of  the  above  beliefs  and  is  subject  to  a  higher 
power. 

The  wisdom  of  God  does  not  go  into  the  clouds  to  call  truth 
down,  nor  into  the  deep  to  call  God  up,  but  shows  us  that 
Cod  is  in  us,  even  in  our  speech.  It  sees  matter  as  a, 
cloud  or  substance  that  has  a  sort  of  life  (in  the  appearance). 
It  sees  it  move  around.  It  also  sees  commotion,  like  persons 
moving  to  and  fro  upon  the  earth.  It  can  come  into  this 
state  called  "this  world"  and  reason  with  its  followers  who  are 
in  this  world,  imprisoned  by  a  belief.  To  be  clear  from  this 
world  is  to  know  that  an  opinion  is  not  knowledge,  and  when 
this  is  found  out  the  opinion  is  destroyed  and  Science  takes 
Its  place.     I  am  now  speaking  of  the  wisdom  of  this  world. 

You  see  your  friend  walking  about,  and  you  talk  with 
him.  Finally  he  dies,  as  you  would  say.  Now  his  identity 
with  you  is  that  he  once  lived,  but  is  now  dead.  You  do  not 
know  but  he  may  live  again,  though  this  is  only  an  opinion. 
You  follow  him  with  the  same  idea  or  belief.  So  you  never 
enter  into  the  world  of  Science,  for  flesh  and  blood  cannot 
enter  Truth,  it  cannot  understand  the  separation  from  this 
world  or  belief. 

Where  do  I  stand  ?  I  know  that  all  the  above  is  the  reason- 
ing of  matter,  and  when  people  learn  the  truth,  they  will 
make  matter  subject  to  Science.  Then  tlie  wisdom  of  this 
world  will  become  subject  to  the  scientific  world.  Tliis  world 
calls  the  world  of  Science  a  "gift."  To  call  it  a  gift  is  to 
say  that  those  who  practise  it  for  the  benefit  of  man  are  either 


226  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

ignorant  of  this  Science,  are  humbugs,  or  are  fools  talking 
about  what  they  do  not  know.  Those  who  call  Jesus'  knowl- 
edge of  this  Science  a  power  or  gift  place  him  on  the  same 
level  with  all  the  sorcerers  of  his  day. — April,  1860. 

[This  is  a  supposed  "communication"  from  one  said  to  be 
"dead,"  to  show  how  little  reality  there  is  in  death.] 

"William,  will  you  give  me  your  idea  of  death?"  "I  can 
give  you  my  opinion,  but  you  will  say  an  opinion  is  no  proof, 
and  therefore  is  of  no  force."  "Well,  tell  me  what  you  think." 
"Well,  if  you  want  me  to  tell  you  what  I  have  no  proof  of, 
and  what  is  only  my  opinion,  I  suppose  I  can  do  it,  if  it 
will  be  of  any  use.  You  remember  when  I  was  sick  in  bed, 
and  one  night  when  you  were  sitting  by  me,  you  know  I  was 
very  weak,  and  you  all  thought  I  was  worse,  and  I  thought  so. 
Mother  thought  I  would  die,  and  I  thought  sometimes  that 
I  should ;  and  don't  you  remember  that  I  told  you  to  put  me 
to  sleep?"  "Yes."  "Well,  that  was  to  get  rid  of  that  feel- 
ing, and  when  I  went  to  sleep  I  felt  a  little  nervous,  I  suppose, 
and  I  had  a  dream  that  I  never  told  of  before,  because  it 
troubled  the  family  and  made  them  feel  badly.  I  dreamed 
that  I  was  dead;  and  you  wanted  me  to  go  to  Bangor  and 
stay  till  the  trouble  was  over,  and  I  seemed  to  go  there,  but 
I  knew  all  about  it.  But  as  it  was  a  dream,  and  the  associa- 
tion made  me  feel  so  badly,  I  could  never  speak  of  it  to 
mother,  for  it  seemed  they  had  the  same  dream,  so  I  kept 
it  to  myself."  "How  long  did  you  sleep  ?"  "Till  the  trouble 
was  over,  and  when  I  woke  up,  it  seemed  like  a  reality."  "Did 
you  have  any  sort  of  knowledge  in  this  sleep  of  your  opinion 
while  awake?"  "Yes,  I  reasoned  I  was  with  you.  Just  as  you 
and  I  used  to  be  when  you  would  talk  me  to  sleep  before,  but 
I  never  was  conscious,  before,  of  the  idea  of  death  having 
so  much  effect  on  a  person,  for  I  could  reason  with  myself, 
and  I  am  satisfied  if  I  had  been  taught  to  believe  as  some 
people  do,  my  belief  would  have  governed  my  dream,  and  1 
should  have  been  ten  times  more  unhappy;  for  when  I  woke 
up  it  did  not  affect  me  so  long,  from  the  fact  that  I  knew  it 
was  only  an  opinion,  and  you  say  that  is  no  proof,  and  I 
always  remembered  that.  But  I  know  how  to  pity  those 
who  take  an  opinion  for  a  truth,  for  an  opinion  is  as  real  to 
the  person  who  believes  it  as  though  it  were  true.  As  I  have 
reasoned  myself  into  a  belief  that  man  never  dies,  I  shall 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  227 

not  try  to  give  myself  any  trouble  about  others'  belief.  If 
people  believe  that  they  die,  and  their  spirits  come  back  and 
talk  with  their  friends,  I  have  no  doubt  but  what  they  do. 
But  it  is  their  opinion  and  that  is  of  no  consequence,  except 
to  lessen  their  belief  that  there  is  such  a  state  as  death ;  per- 
haps it  gives  them  some  happiness.  But  as  far  as  I  am  con- 
cerned I  am  satisfied  with  my  belief."  "Suppose  I  should 
believe  that  you  were  dead?"  "Suppose  that  you  should, 
would  that  make  it  so?"  "No."  "Suppose  I  should  believe 
that  you  were  dead,  what  would  you  say  to  that?"  "I  should 
say,  if  I  knew  anything,  I  know  I  am  alive."  "Well,  can't 
you  be  as  charitable  toward  another  as  you  would  like  them 
to  be  towards  you?"  "Yes,  but  I  can't  believe  that  you 
are  dead."  "Did  you  ever  know  a  dead  man  to  speak?" 
"No,  but  you  know  that  we  all  believe  that  the  body  dies  and 
the  soul  lives."  "Yes,  but  did  you  ever  see  a  soul?"  "No." 
"Then  why  do  you  believe  the  soul  lives,  when  you  say  an 
opinion  is  of  no  force?  Have  you  any  proof  that  a  person 
is  alive,  when  you  see  him  dead?"  "No,  only  my  belief." 
"You  say  that  your  belief  is  of  no  force,  for  it  contains  no 
proof,  is  it  not  so?"  "Yes."  "Well,  suppose  I  admiti 
that  I  am  dead,  will  that  make  you  any  better  satisfied?" 
"No."  "W^ell,  what  shall  I  admit."  "I  don't  know, 
but  I  wish  I  really  knew  whether  I  was  talking  to  you." 
"Don't  you  believe  your  own  senses?"  "Certainly,  but  you 
don't  come  within  my  senses."  "Why  not?"  "Because 
I  can't  see  you."  "Then  because  you  think  you  ;can't 
see  me,  I  am  dead?"  "Yes."  "Can  you  see  John?" 
"No."  "Is  he  dead?"  "No."  "How  do  you  know?"  "I 
think  he  is  alive."  "That  is  nothing  but  an  opinion  which 
you  say  is  of  no  force."  "Will  you  give  me  your  opinion 
about  it?"  "I  have  no  opinion  about  it.  I  know  that  I  am 
here  now,  and  that  is  all  I  care  about  it.  If  I  am  dead,  it  is 
news  to  me:  I  don't  know  any  more  about  it  than  Lucius 
knew  when  he  was  asleep,  that  he  was  asleep.  So  if  death  is 
only  a  mesmeric  sleep,  it  is  not  much  to  go  through." — Dec. 
1859. 

MY   USE  OF  THE  WORD  MIND 

You  know  I  have  tried  to  prove  that  mind  is  spiritual 
matter;  and  if  I  have  proved  that,  I  will  now  show  you  that 
matter  is  life.     This  you  will  admit  so  far  as  vegetation  is 


228  CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE 

concerned.  Now  see  if  animal  matter  is  not  life.  If  so  you 
see  that  man  is  made  up  of  life.  His  body  is  particles  of 
animal  life  condensed  into  a  form  or  idea,  called  man,  or  a 
living  being  of  life;  not  Science,  but  life  is  governed  by  Sci- 
ence. Now  what  is  man  when  he  is  not  man  ?  for  you  say  man 
dies.  What  is  Science?  Is  it  that  wisdom  which  controls 
life?  Is  it  not  life?  If  it  is  then  there  is  no  word  to  define 
it,  for  life  is  matter,  and  matter  is  life.  Animal  life  is  in 
flesh  and  blood,  so  flesh  and  blood  is  .not  Science,  but  Science 
controls  it.  What  are  Wisdom's  attributes?  Has  it  an 
identity?  The  wisdom  of  man  has  an  identity  in  a  living 
form.  Can  you  give  any  definite  idea  of  what  people  mean 
by  "the  soul?"  The  one  who  invented  the  word  must  have 
applied  it  to  an  idea  that  never  had  an  existence,  for  soul  is 
always  applied  to  life.  We  read  of  "fat  souls"  and  "lean 
souls,"  and  "saving  souls  and  losing  souls";  so  that  word 
cannot  explain  man  when  he  is  not  man.  When  he  is  not 
man  he  is  not  soul,  so  we  must  get  some  other  word  to  define 
what  man  is  when  he  ceases  to  be  matter, 

I  will  now  try  to  explain  what  man  is,  and  what  he  is  not ; 
and  show  that  what  he  is,  he  is  not,  and  what  he  is  not,  he  is. 
I  will  illustrate  the  two  men  so  that  each  shall  be  a  separate 
and  distinct  identity.  I  will  take  for  my  illustration  the 
man  as  we  see  him,  and  Science  as  the  man  who  cannot  see 
through  the  natural  man  (for  Science  cannot  be  seen,  only 
its  effects)  and  show  how  they  differ.  The  natural  man  is 
made  of  flesh  and  blood;  Science  is  not.  Man  has  life; 
Science  is  life.  Man  has  sight;  Science  is  sight.  M!an  has 
feeling;  Science  is  feeling.  Man  has  all  of  the  five  senses; 
Science  is  all  of  the  five  senses.  Man  of  himself  cannot  do 
anything;  Science  can  do  all  things.  Man  is  of  matter; 
Science  is  not.  Then  what  is  man,  independent  of  Science  ? 
Nothing  but  an  idea  of  life  and  death.  Then  where  does  he 
differ  from  the  brute,  where  does  Science  make  the  dis- 
tinction? It  makes  no  distinction.  WTio  does?  The  first 
cause  or  God.  How?  In  attaching  Science  to  the  identity 
called  man.  Then  does  Science  have  an  identity?  Yes. 
What  is  it?  Wisdom  or  God.  When  you  give  it  all  its 
qualities,  what  kind  of  person  is  it  ?  It  is  the  Scientific  man. 
Dot  of  flesh  and  blood,  but  of  that  world  where  error  never 
comes.  It  speaks  through  man.  What  does?  Its  life  or 
the  wisdom  of  God.     How  does  it  get  its  food  ?    By  the  sweat 


CHRIST  OR  SCIENCE  229 

of  its  brow,  or  the  development  of  itself.  Where  does  it 
differ  from  the  natural  man?  In  everything.  Show  by 
illustration.  The  natural  man  is  nothing  but  an  idea  which 
Science  uses  to  illustrate  some  fact  or  problem  that  is  for  the 
development  of  Science.  Then  what  does  man  gain  or  lose  by 
death  as  it  is  called?  Just  as  much  as  any  matter  that  is 
always  changing.  ^ — Aug.  1860. 

1  Dr.  Quimby  held  that  death  is  never  a  fundamental  or  decisive 
change,  but  a  relatively  external  or  incidental  experience.  It  is  our 
spiritual  state  that  is  decisive.  This  depends  on  our  reaJ  or  external 
wisdom. 


XY 

THE  WORLD  OP  THE  SENSES 

[These  selections  have  been  chosen  from  articles  written 
between  June,  1860,  and  July,  1865,  and  arranged,  with 
condensations,  according  to  topics.  The  omitted  portions 
have  been  left  out  to  avoid  repetition.  The  sub-titles  are 
usually  the  titles  of  the  original  articles.  The  first  is  a 
tentative  introduction  for  a  book.] 

TO  THE  READER 

In  introducing  this  work  to  the  reader  my  only  excuse  is 
the  existence  of  evils  that  follow  the  opinions  of  the  world  in 
regard  to  man's  health  and  happiness.  My  practice  for  twenty 
years  has  put  me  in  possession  of  facts  that  have  opened  my 
eyes  to  the  misery  of  mankind,  from  ignorance  of  ourselves. 
My  object  is  to  correct  the  false  ideas  and  strengthen  the 
truth.  I  make  war  with  what  comes  in  contact  with  health 
and  happiness,  believing  that  God  made  everything  good, 
and  if  there  is  anything  wrong  it  is  the  effect  of  our- 
selves, and  that  man  is  responsible  for  his  acts  and  even  his 
thoughts.  Therefore  it  is  necessary  that  man  should  know 
himself  so  that  lie  shall  not  communicate  sin  or  error. 

All  my  writings  are  the  effect  of  impressions  made  on  me 
while  sitting  with  the  sick,  so  that  my  book  is  of  the  lives  and 
sufferings  of  my  patients,  their  trials  and  sorrows,  and  my 
arguments  are  in  their  behalf.  It  may  seem  strange  to  the 
well  that  I  write  upon  so  many  subjects,  but  when  you  take 
into  consideration  the  great  variety  of  persons,  and  the 
peculiar  state  of  literature,  varying  from  the  most  cultivated 
to  that  of  the  lowest  intellect,  it  would  not  be  strange  if  my 
writings  did  not  excite  the  curiosity  of  the  reader. 

For  instance,  one  is  full  of  religious  ideas  and  becomes 
almost  insane,  and  some  are  entirely  so.  This  excites  me,  and 
my  thoughts  run  upon  religion.  Another  will  be  almost 
insane  upon  spiritualism ;  then  I  have  to  battle  that,  or  show 
the    absurdity    of    that    belief.     Some    are    excited    upon 

230 


TEE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES  231 

Millerism,  and  believe  the  world  is  coming  to  an  end.  This 
brings  up  arguments  to  refute  their  belief.  Some  upon  witch- 
craft. Now  their  minds  are  continually  dwelling  on  all  these 
subjects  and  on  the  Bible.  So  to  cure  I  have  to  show  by  the 
Bible  that  they  have  been  made  to  believe  a  false  construction. 
My  arguments  change  their  minds  and  the  cure  comes.  This 
is  my  excuse  for  what  I  have  said  upon  the  Scriptures. 

Some  people  are  love-sick  and  disappointed.  These  are  not 
a  great  many.  Minds  are  affected  in  various  ways.  Some  are 
ship  masters.  Their  sickness  is  caused  by  various  things. 
But  all  mankind  must  be  reached  by  parables.  All  my 
illustrations  are  called  out  by  the  case  1  have  to  treat. 
Women  are  more  spiritual  than  men,  therefore  with  them  my 
illustrations  are  drawn  more  from  the  Bible  than  from  any 
other  book.  Medical  science  I  have  to  use  rather  hard,  for 
the  sick  have  the  most  bitter  feeling  towards  physicians  and 
religious  teachers.  These  two  classes  I  have  to  come  in  con- 
tact with.  The  fear  of  these  two  classes  makes  the  patient 
sick.  I  have  found  this  out  by  the  effect  the  patient  has  on 
me.  I  have  been  so  provoked  when  sitting  by  the  sick,  with 
the  physician  and  in  regard  to  certain  classes  of  disease,  that 
it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  I  could  keep  my  temper, 
and  I  had  never  seen  the  doctor  or  minister.  But  I  always 
found  that  when  I  would  get  the  patients  clear  from  their 
opinions,  they  would  express  themselves  in  as  strong  terms  as 
I  had.  I  thought  the  fault  might  be  with  me,  but  I  am  now 
satisfied  that  I  was  only  the  scape-goat  to  carry  off  feelings 
they  dared  not  lisp  out,  but  could  not  tell  why.  Therefore  I 
have  not  the  slightest  feeling  as  a  man  towards  any  person, 
only  regarding  error.  That  I  have  no  sympathy  with.  It  is 
a  hypocrite  in  myself  and  in  every  one  else. 

You  may  say  1  have  gone  out  of  the  way  to  attack  religious 
denominations.  If  I  have,  the  fault  is  in  my  patient.  Every 
one  knows  that  pious  persons  when  sick  are  the  most  profane 
and  talk  the  worst  about  the  Bible.  This  is  because  they  have 
the  most  fear. 

With  these  remarks  I  will  leave  this  part  of  my  subject, 
and  say  a  word  or  tvvo  in  regard  to  words.  I  differ  from  all 
persons  about  some  words.  One  is  "mind."  Mind  to  me  is 
not  wisdom,  but  spiritual  matter.  And  I  think  before  you 
get  through  my  book  you  will  think  so  too,  and  be  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  what  I  say.      So  far  as  my  education  is  con- 


232       THE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES 

cerned  I  need  make  no  apology.     If  I  have  learning  enough 
to  explain  my  theory,  it  is  all  I  want. 

FALSE  REPORTS  CONCERNING  MY  RELIGIOUS  BELIEF 

In  giving  to  the  public  my  ideas  in  regard  to  curing  the 
eick  it  will  be  necessary  to  correct  some  false  ideas  that  have 
been  circulated  in  regard  to  my  religious  belief.  So  I  will  say 
I  have  no  belief  and  in  regard  to  any  person's  religion  or 
disease  I  know  they  are  based  on  a  false  idea  of  wisdom.  I 
take  the  sick  as  I  find  them  and  treat  them  according  to  their 
several  diseases.  As  their  diseases  are  the  result  of  their  edu- 
cation or  belief  I  have  to  come  in  contact  with  their  beliefs. 
Their  religious  beliefs  are  often  the  cause  of  their  trouble, 
but  the  medical  theory  causes  more  than  all  the  rest  at  the 
present  day.  In  times  of  old  when  the  priests  led  the  masses 
the  causes  emanated  from  the  priests,  but  since  the  right  of 
religious  freedom  has  been  granted  to  all,  truth  has  destroyed 
the  power  of  tlie  priests.  Yet  it  has  not  enlightened  the 
people,  but  transferred  the  idea  of  disease  to  the  medical 
fraternity.  .  .  . 

All  the  religion  I  acknowledge  is  God  or  Wisdom.  I  will 
not  take  man's  belief  to  guide  my  barque.  I  would  rather 
stand  at  tlie  helm  myself,  but  the  priest  and  medical  faculty 
have  assumed  sway,  and  one  pretends  to  look  after  the  body 
and  the  other  the  soul.  So  between  both  they  have  nearly  de- 
stroyed soul  and  body,  for  you  cannot  find  one  person  in  ten 
but  complains  of  some  trouble  in  the  form  of  disease.  As 
disease  leads  to  destruction  or  death,  death  is  one  of  the  nat- 
ural results  of  disease.  So  to  save  persons  from  what  may 
follow,  a  religious  belief  is  introduced  and  another  world  is 
made  which  is  to  receive  all  men,  who  are  to  be  rewarded 
according  to  their  acts.  This  maizes  up  the  whole  progress 
of  man's  life.  In  all  this  intelligence  and  goodness  are  not 
included.  It  is  true  we  are  told  that  to  live  a  virtuous  life  is 
good,  but  you  never  hear  that  to  be  posted  in  the  wisdom  of 
the  world  gives  a  person  advantage  over  the  weak  and  humble 
believer  who  swallows  everything  the  priest  tells  him.  To  be 
a  good  Christian  according  to  their  explanation  of  religion 
is  to  be  humble  and  not  wise  at  all.  Now  every  man 
partakes  of  his  belief,  and  in  fact  they  are  all  made  of  belief, 
for  everything  you  can  think  of  or  remember  is  such.  Now 
all  thiiig-.s  must  end  according  to  man's  belief,  and  there  has 


TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  233 

been  nothing  as  yet  that  has  come  in  collision  with  it.  There- 
fore life  and  death  are  said  to  be  the  natural  destiny  of  man. 
It  is  true  that  the  medical  faculty  try  to  stave  off  death  but 
"the  harder  they  work  the  surer  they  are  to  destroy  the  thing 
they  are  trying  to  save.  Man's  belief  is  the  thing  either  to  be 
saved  or  lost  and  to  this  end  all  their  skill  is  directed.  This 
was  the  state  of  the  world  when  Jesus  appeared. 

MIND 

In  order  to  introduce  my  theory  of  curing  disease  it  will  be 
necessary  to  explain  the  use  I  make  of  a  few  words  to  which 
custom  has  given  a  meaning  I  am  unable  to  use.  For  instance 
the  word  mind.  All  use  the  word  applied  to  man's  intelli- 
gence. As  the  word  mind  has  never  been  applied  to  any  spirit- 
ual substance  or  any  substance  at  all,  it  strikes  the  reader 
strangely  to  hear  it  as  I  have  to  use  it,  still  I  think  I  can  show 
that  the  author  must  have  a  different  meaning  in  his  wisdom 
than  is  commonly  attributed  to  it.  It  could  not  be  that  he 
had  an  idea  of  any  world  or  existence  beyond  this  life,  for 
mind  was  considered  man's  life  and  all  his  reasoning  powers 
at  death  must  end.  Consequently  the  brain  was  considered 
the  seat  of  the  mind.  Various  beliefs  show  that  this  false 
reasoning  still  holds  sway  over  mankind.  The  word  mind 
as  it  is  used  and  believed  comprises  all  of  man  and  beast  that 
has  life  and  instinct,  which  at  death  disappears  or  dies.  As 
science  progressed  the  weakness  of  the  reasoning  was  seen,  and 
the  religious  community  invested  the  word  with  a  new  sig- 
nificance which  the  ancients  never  dreamed  of;  for,  with  their 
limitations,  it  could  not  explain  the  life  of  man ;  it  could  not 
contain  the  word  wisdom,  so  a  new  word  was  needed  and  ''soul" 
was  introduced.  But  if  you  call  the  soul  "science"  you  will 
have  a  higher  development  than  is  included  in  mind.  Let 
"mind,"  then  embrace  all  matter  of  the  human  and  brute 
creations,  as  the  word  "matter"  embraces  all  inanimate  sub- 
stances. Then  the  "soul"  will  represent  wisdom  that  creates 
from  inanimate  matter  every  manufactured  article.  .  .  . 

Ancient  philosophers  divided  man  into  two  elements,  mind 
and  matter,  the  body  being  matter  and  the  soul  mind,  and 
one  was  the  offspring  of  the  other.  The  life  of  the  soul  was 
one  thing  and  the  life  of  the  body  another,  but  they  both 
died  together.  So  the  word  mind  covered  all  of  man's  life. 
The  intellect  of  the  brute  was  termed  instinct,  which  was 


234       THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

included  in  the  meaning  of  mind.  At  death  all  were  laid  in 
the  grave  together :  the  wise  man  and  the  fool,  the  rich  £ind 
the  poor  all  found  their  level  in  the  grave.  .  .  .  We  have 
evidence  enough  to  show  that  what  is  now  called  the  soul  in 
ancient  times  had  no  higher  meaning  than  mind,  for  we  read 
of  good  souls  and  wicked  souls.  So  here  is  an  end  to  the  soul. 
Such  teaching  is  the  cause  of  man's  miser}'. 

Every  one  will  admit  that  all  the  qualities  of  "soul"  which  I 
have  mentioned  will  apply  to  man's  intelligence,  and  that 
"mind"  according  to  every  definition  can  change;  also  admit 
that  Wisdom  cannot  change,  that  it  is  the  same  today  and 
forever.  Now  can  any  one  tell  me  what  there  is  that  is  not 
matter  that  can  be  changed  ?  It  cannot  be  Wisdom.  It  can- 
not be  any  form  that  can  be  seen,  wliich  of  course  must  be 
matter.  Then  what  is  it  that  is  not  Wisdom,  God,  or  spirit, 
and  not  matter  and  yet  can  be  changed  ?  It  is  matter  held  in 
solution  called  mind,  which  the  power  of  Wisdom  can  con- 
dense into  a  solid  so  dense  as  to  become  the  substance  called 
"matter."  Assume  this  theory  and  then  you  can  see  how  man 
can  become  sick  and  get  well  by  a  change  of  mind. 

Disease  is  the  natural  result  of  ignorance  and  error  governed 
by  discords  of  the  mind.  For  instance,  friction  produces  heat, 
heat  expansion,  expansion  motion,  motion  disturbs  life,  and 
life  comes  out  of  the  motion.  There  are  various  kinds  of 
life,  vegetable,  animal,  etc. ;  for  life  is  what  comes  from  the 
decomposition  of  matter.  Wisdom  is  not  life,  it  is  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting,  the  same  to-day  and  forever.  But 
as  life  ascends  from  the  lower  to  the  higher  kingdoms,  Wisdom 
attaches  itself  to  it  in  order  to  develop  in  man  itself.  .  .  . 

I  will  give  you  the  process  as  it  comes  to  me  by  this  great 
truth  that  heals  all  who  come  into  it.  The  elements  of  the 
mineral  kingdom  by  their  chemical  change  bring  forth  life, 
this  mingles  with  its  mother-minerals  and  an  offspring  is  pro- 
duced called  a  vegetable.  The  life  of  minerals  enters  this 
new  kingdom  and  a  new  creation  springs  into  being.  This 
again  mingles  with  its  parent  kingdom  and  there  comes  a  low 
form  of  life  called  the  animal  kingdom ;  one  generation  begets 
another  till  matter  is  prepared  to  receive  some  of  the  life  from 
the  Wisdom  which  rules  these  lower  lives.  Man's  life 
comes  from  his  peculiar  development,  so  there  is  as  much  dif- 
ference in  the  idea  "man"  as  there  is  in  the  other  kingdoms, 
for  man  is  made  of  those  kingdoms.     He  combines  three  parts 


THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  235 

in  himself,  animal,  human,  scientific,  in  different  degrees  in 
each  person.  Man  partakes  more  of  the  animal,  less  of  the 
scientific.  Women  have  more  of  the  scientific  element,  less  of 
the  animal;  the  latter  kingdom  makes  them  strong,  the 
human  benevolent,  and  the  scientific  spiritual  and  poetical. 


From  time  immemorial  the  subject  of  mind  has  been  a  theme 
of  ancient  and  modern  philosophers.  Now  if  the  idea  of  mind 
did  not  embrace  all  our  reason  and  philosophy  man  would  not 
be  all  the  time  trying  to  investigate  its  nature. 

Mind  is  always  associated  with  something  else.  Moses 
used  the  word  wisdom  in  the  sense  of  mind  when  he  said  God 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  which  means  mind  and  mat- 
ter. 

The  philosophers  of  our  day  separate  matter  from  mind 
and  call  matter  material,  and  mind  immaterial,  so  that  matter 
is  not  [supposed  to  be]  under  the  control  of  mind,  and  as 
mind  is  immaterial  it  is  nothing.  Now  can  nothing  produce 
something?     This  the  philosophers  of  our  day  may  answer. 

Why  all  these  different  applications  of  the  same  term?  If 
mind  is  matter,  what  is  life  ?  To  show  that  mind  is  [spirit- 
ual] matter  we  must  illustrate  by  something  that  men  will  ad- 
mit. But  some  one  may  ask  of  what  consequence  is  it  to  man 
whether  mind  is  .substance  or  not  ?  I  say  it  is  of  vast  im- 
portance to  the  world,  for  if  it  can  be  shown  that  mind 
is  [spiritual]  matter,  it  will  be  seen  that  mind  is  under  the 
control  of  a  wisdom  possessed  by  man,  so  that  wisdom  acting 
upon  mind  changes  it  and  destroys  the  error  and  brings  man 
to  the  truth.  .  .  . 

Every  person  admits  that  mind  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with 
the  body,  and  each  one  makes  a  difference  between  them.  The 
mind  is  said  to  be  the  intellectual  part  of  man,  and  the  body 
the  servant.  In  one  sense  this  is  true,  but  to  Wisdom  it  is 
false,  for  all  admit  that  the  mind  can  be  changed,  and  if 
intelligence  can  change  it  cannot  be  wisdom.  Jesus  taught 
that  the  real  man  is  of  wisdom.  Wisdom  cannot  change,  but 
can  arrange  and  classify  ideas  each  in  its  proper  place,  and 
show  where  mind  falls  short  of  wisdom.  To  suppose  mind  is 
wisdom  is  as  false  as  to  suppose  power  is  weight. 

The  natural  man,  whose  intellect  is  linked  with  the  brutes, 
and  who  cannot  see  beyond  matter,  reasons  this  way:  He  is  in 
matter,  but  thinks  he  is  outside  of  it.  He  cannot  sec  his 
absurd  mode  of  reasoning,  but  it  is  shown  in  disease.     Physi- 


236       TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

cal  man  is  composed  of  fluids  and  gases,  and  also  mind.  The 
mind  is  supposed  to  be  the  offspring  of  his  body,  or  brain,  al- 
though in  his  conversation  he  makes  a  distinction  between 
them ;  and  being  in  matter  his  intelligence  cannot  see  beyond 
it.  Therefore  he  only  believes  in  a  superior  wisdom  as  a  mys- 
tery. The  fact  that  he  admits  it  as  a  mysterious  gift  or 
power  shows  that  he  does  not  know  it.  To  make  man  know 
himself  is  to  convince  "him,  that  he,  his  wisdom,  is  as  distinct 
from  his  belief  as  he  is  from  anything  that  exists  separate 
from  him.  Then  he  will  give  to  mind  an  identity  embracing 
everything  having  a  beginning  and  ending.  Sickness  and 
disease  are  contained  in  it,  but  wisdom  is  no  part  of  it. 

If  we  see  a  dead  person  we  have  no  idea  of  a  wisdom  that 
exists  with  all  the  faculties  that  were  exhibited  through  the 
body.  We  try  to  believe  but  our  belief  is  vague;  we  cannot 
describe  it.  Man  is  not  developed  enough  to  see  outside  of 
his  idea  "matter."  He  is  in  the  idea  prophesying  of  what 
may  come  hereafter.  I  have  developed  this  wisdom,  which 
is  the  real  man,  till  I  have  broken  through  the  bars  of  death 
and  can  see  beyond  the  world  of  opinions  into  the  light  of 
Science.  I  can  see  what  things  have  being,  and  how  we  take 
our  opinions  for  truth. 

The  moon  is  a  figure  of  the  natural  man.  Its  light  is 
borrowed,  or  the  light  of  the  opinions  of  the  sun.  It  thinks 
it  has  light  of  itself,  but  the  sun's  light  knows  that  it  is  the 
reflection  of  the  sun's  light.  The  wise  man  in  like  manner 
knows  that  the  light  of  the  body  or  natural  man  is  but  the 
reflection  of  the  scientific  man.  Our  misery  lies  in  this  dark- 
ness. This  is  the  prison  that  holds  the  natural  man,  till  the 
light  of  Wisdom  bursts  his  bonds,  and  sets  the  captive 
free.  Here  is  where  Christ  went  to  preach  to  the  prisoners 
bound  by  error,  before  the  reformation  of  Science. 

THE  SCIENTIFIC  MAN 

I  will  try  to  define  what  I  mean  by  the  scientific  man  or 
man  outside  of  matter.  To  do  this  I  must  assume  myself 
in  relation  to  mind  as  God  stands  to  all  creation.  The  natural 
man  is  only  an  idea  made  by  God's  wisdom,  like  a  shadow. 

After  this  shadow  goes  through  a  certain  change  like  any 
other  matter  it  is  in  a  state  to  be  a  medium  of  a  higher  power 
than  itself.  God  sent  an  identity  of  His  wisdom  to  take  con- 
trol of  the  medium  and  carry  out  His  design  and  bring  man  to 


TEE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES  237 

a  knowledge  of  the  Father.     This  identity  that  He  sends  is 
Science  or  the  Son  of  God. 

To  illustrate  I  must  use  a  figure  so  you  can  get  my 
meaning.  For  if  you  do  not  do  the  thing  God  does  you  can- 
not be  the  Son  of  God.  Jesus  was  called  the  Son  of  God. 
Why  was  He  called  the  Son  of  God  ?  Because  He  did  the  will 
of  His  Father  who  sent  Him.  To  be  a  Son  of  God  you  must 
do  His  will,  and  His  will  is  to  subject  your  errors  to  the 
Truth,  so  that  you  can  know  that  you  are  born  of  God.  Now, 
I  will  suppose  that  God,  when  He  spoke  man  into  existence 
knew  that  man  was  His  own  idea.  A  chemical  change  was 
going  on  for  a  certain  time  till  man  became  of  age, 
or  men  became  ready  to  be  governed  by  a  higher  prin- 
ciple than  matter.  Science  is  this  principle  put  into  practice. 
So  Science  is  the  Son  of  God  or  Wisdom.  Now  Science  being 
the  Son  of  Wisdom,  it  is  a  part  of  Wisdom.  Give  this  Science 
an  identity  with  a  knowledge  of  its  Father,  and  then  you  have 
a  Son  ready  to  take  possession  of  matter  when  matter  becomes 
purified,  or  a  chemical  change  takes  place  in  it  so  that  it  can 
be  governed  by  an  independent  power.  .  .  .  This  Son  or 
Science  is  not  seen  by  the  natural  man,  so  the  natural  man 
thinks  his  life  is  in  this  belief.  Now  to  come  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  this  Science  is  the  new  birth. 

THE  NATURAL  MAN 

All  mankind  have  respect  for  wisdom  or  something  superior 
to  themselves  that  they  cannot  understand.  Man  of  himself 
is  naturally  indolent,  brutish,  and  wilfully  stupid,  content 
to  live  like  the  brute.  He  is  pleased  at  any  bauble  or  trifling 
thing.  He  has  imitation  and  tries  to  copy  whatever  pleases 
him ;  in  this  he  shows  reverence  for  his  superiors.  As  he  does 
not  posses  Science  he  is  often  deceived.  Thus  he  is  made 
timid  and  willing  to  be  led.  His  courage  is  the  courage  of 
ignorance  and  when  he  sees  superior  numbers  lie  curls  down 
like  a  dog  when  whipped  by  his  master.  Easily  led  and  easily 
deceived,  no  confidence  is  to  be  placed  on  his  word,  for  his 
word  is  always  like  the  wag  of  a  dog's  tail,  to  show  his  sub- 
mission. But  when  his  ends  are  answered,  his  next  act  might 
be  to  injure  the  one  that  had  saved  him  from  trouble. 
He  is  easy  in  his  manners  if  all  goes  well,  but  if  needed  for  any- 
thing, like  the  dog  he  is  ready  at  the  whistle  of  his  master  or 
any  one  that  will  pat  him,  to  bite  his  own  master  or  any  one 
else. 


238  TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

Now  because  the  brutes  can  be  taught  something  it  does  not 
follow  that  they  can  be  taught  Science.  They  have  their 
bounds  which  they  cannot  pass.  So  the  natural  man  has  his 
bounds  which  he  cannot  pass.  But  when  I  speak  of  the 
natural  man,  I  speak  of  that  wisdom  that  is  based  on  an  opin- 
ion. The  brute  is  undergoing  a  change  by  the  introduction 
of  the  wisdom  of  man.  So  the  natural  man  is  undergoing  a 
change  by  the  introduction  of  the  Scientific  Man.  The  brute 
is  developed  as  far  as  the  wisdom  of  man  is  capable  of  instruct- 
ing him.  So  Science  takes  the  man  of  opinions  and  instructs 
him  in  the  Wisdom  of  God.  As  every  man  has  more  of  the 
wisdom  of  opinions  than  of  Science,  he  is  ignorant  of  him- 
self, and  being  ignorant  he  can  see  only  one  character ;  for  all 
the  wisdom  he  has  is  public  opinion.  He  is  up  today  and 
down  to-morrow,  and  knows  not  the  cause  of  his  rise  or  fall. 
His  change  is  so  gradual  that  he  never  knows  he  has  changed 
but  supposes  that  all  changes  go  to  prove  that  he  has  remained 
the  same.  These  minds  are  often  found  in  politics.  You 
will  hear  a  person  say,  "I  was  always  a  Democrat  or  Federa- 
list, and  my  father  and  grandfather  were  before  me."  Now 
this  is  a  man  of  one  idea.  He  is  like  the  old  grey-headed 
veteran  who  stands  on  Mt.  Joy  and  looks  around  on  Portland 
and  then  turns  to  his  young  friend  and  says,  "My  lad,  I  re- 
member when  I  helped  cut  the  wood  where  the  city  now 
stands,  eighty  or  ninety  years  ago."  His  young  friend  says 
"You  must  have  changed  very  much."  "Oh !  I  am  older,  but 
I  am  the  same  man  I  was  then."  In  reality  there  is  not  a 
single  idea  about  him  that  is  the  same.  So  it  is  with  the 
political  man.  His  senses  are  attached  to  the  word  "dem- 
ocrat," and  as  long  as  that  word  lives  in  the  wisdom  of  opin- 
ions he  is  a  Democrat;  and  so  long  as  this  identity  lives  in 
him  he  never  changes,  for  his  senses  never  were  attached  to 
any  principle. 

So  the  changes  of  principle  are  nothing  to  him,  as  he  never 
had  any. 

Science  being  a  stranger  to  both,  cannot  work  like  the 
demagogue  appealing  to  one  idea.  For  the  senses  of  the 
the  scientific  man  are  attached  to  the  Wisdom  that  governs 
both.  So  as  progress  is  the  order  of  the  day,  the  senses  of 
the  masses  become  attached  to  new  ideas  and  detached  from 
old  ones,  and  thus  parties  are  all  the  time  changing  and  minds 
are  changing  to  suit  the  times.     This  gives  the  demagogue 


TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  239 

a  chance  to  appeal  to  the  masses,  and  as  long  as  they  can  lead 
the  masses  by  one  popular  name,  they  use  any  sort  of 
cunning  that  comes  up  to  suit  their  convenience. 

DEATH  OF  THE  NATURAL  MAN 

I  am  often  asked  where  I  differ  from  a  spiritualist.  In 
everything,  but  as  this  is  an  opinion  I  will  try  to  make  it 
clear.  The  spiritualists  believe  in  the  dead  rising,  and  they 
sometimes  say  there  is  no  such  thing  as  death.  Now  let  us  see 
what  their  works  show.  The  senses  of  the  natural  man  are 
attached  to  his  knowledge,  and  that  is  made  of  opinions,  and 
so  his  senses  are  attached  to  his  opinions.  His  opinions 
embrace  all  belief.  So  to  destroy  his  belief  is  to  destroy  his 
life,  for  his  life  is  in  his  belief,  and  a  part  of  it. 

Let  ns  see  what  his  belief  embraces.  In  the  first  place  he 
believes  in  matter,  called  living  matter,  that  has  life;  for  he 
says  that  life  or  matter  must  die  or  perish.  Now  here  is  the 
contradiction  in  the  spiritualists'  belief.  They  deny  that  the 
dead  rise,  but  if  the  dead  do  not  rise,  what  are  the  dead  ?  You 
are  pointed  to  a  man  lying  motionless  and  to  all  appearance 
even  according  to  a  spiritualist,  dead.  Now  is  he  dead,  or  is 
he  not  dead?  The  spiritualist  may  answer.  He  says  the 
body  is  dead.  Was  it  ever  alive?  You  must  say,  "yes,"  for  I 
point  to  a  man  moving  around  and  ask  if  that  man  is  dead 
and  your  answer  is,  "no."  Then  he  must  be  a  living  man, 
and  according  to  your  belief  we  have  a  living  man  and  a  dead 
one.  Now  where  do  they  differ?  Here  is  the  mystery,  their 
belief  like  all  others  flies  back  to  the  old  superstition  which 
they  have  all  believed :  that  the  dead  rise,  and  in  this  fog  they 
get  lost. 

I  will  show  you  where  I  differ  from  spiritualists  and  in 
fact  all  other  sects.  If  you  will  admit  that  mind  is  spiritual 
matter,  for  the  sake  of  listening  to  my  ideas,  I  will  give  you 
my  theory.  I  assert  that  according  to  man's  belief  there  are 
certain  facts  admitted  and  established  beyond  a  doubt,  and 
as  my  wisdom  is  not  of  this  world  or  man's  belief,  only  in 
part,  it  follows  that  what  I  know  I  have  no  opinion  about. 
All  knowledge  that  is  of  man  is  based  on  opinions.  This  I 
call  this  world  of  matter;  it  embraces  all  that  comes  within 
the  so-called  senses.  Man's  happiness  and  misery  is  in  his 
belief,  but  the  wisdom  of  science  is  of  God,  not  of  man. 

To  separate  these  two  kingdoms  is  what  I  am  trying  to  do, 
and  if  I  can  succeed  in  this  I  have  accomplished  what  never 


240       THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

has  been  done,  but  what  has  been  the  aim  of  the  philosophers 
since  the  world  began.  The  secret  of  life  and  happiness  is 
the  aim  of  all  mankind,  and  how  to  get  at  it  is  the  mystery  that 
has  baffled  the  wisdom  of  the  world,  I  should  never  under- 
take the  task  of  explaining  what  the  wise  men  have  failed  to 
do  but  for  the  want  of  some  better  proof  to  explain  phenom- 
ena that  oome  under  my  own  observation.  The  remedies 
have  never  destroyed  the  cause  nor  can  the  cause  be  destroyed 
by  man's  reason,  and  Science  cannot  admit  what  cannot  be 
proved.  Until  some  better  proof  of  what  we  see  and  hear 
and  feel  can  be  produced  the  world  must  grope  in  darkness 
and  scepticism. 

I  will  separate  the  two  worlds  of  which  I  am  now  speaking 
and  show  what  one  has  failed  to  do,  also  that  the  other  is  not 
acknowledged  as  independent  of  the  first.  The  world  of 
opinions  is  the  old  world.  That  of  Science  is  the  new,  and 
a  separation  must  take  place  and  a  battle  fought  between 
them.  The  world  of  error  and  opinions  has  held  Science  in 
bondage  ever  since  man  began  to  be  independent  of  savage 
life.  The  child  of  Science  has  been  nourished  in  the  bosom  of 
its  mother  in  the  wilderness  of  error  till  it  grew  up  so  as  to 
assume  a  character,  then  when  it  has  undertaken  to  assume 
its  rights  it  has  always  been  met  with  the  thunder  of  error. 
But  as  it  is  so  much  of  a  friend  to  the  happiness  of  man,  the 
enemies  or  error  could  never  prevent  its  growth,  for  that  was 
in  the  scientific  world,  and  that  world  has  no  matter,  or  it 
is  so  rarified  that  error  cannot  see  through  it.  So  the 
scientific  man  can  pass  through  the  errors  and  instruct  the 
child  of  Science  till  it  bursts  forth  and  becomes  a  man  or  law. 
Then  the  natural  man  or  error  destroys  its  leaders  and  falls 
down  and  worships  the  scientific  laws,  and  acknowledges  them 
as  king  of  this  world.  As  Science  is  now  acknowledged,  the 
kings  of  the  earth  are  cut  off  and  the  kingdom  is  divided 
against  itself;  the  leaders  with  their  armies  flee  into  the 
wilderness,  there  to  rally  for  another  attack  when  any  new 
science  is  started.  Now  the  Science  of  Life  and  Happiness 
is  the  one  that  has  met  with  the  most  opposition  from  the  fact 
that  it  is  death  to  all  opposers.  It  never  compromises  with 
its  enemies,  nor  has  it  any  dealings  with  them.  Its  kingdom 
is  of  Truth,  not  of  error;  therefore  it  is  not  of  this  world  of 
matter. 

I  will  state  its  laws,  how  much  it  admits,  how  much  it 
condemns  and  how  it  puts  its  laws  in  force.     Its  habitation 


THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  241 

is  in  the  hearts  of  men,  it  cannot  be  seen  by  the  natural  man, 
for  he  is  of  matter.  All  he  has  is  his  senses,  there  is  his 
residence  for  the  time,  he  has  no  abiding  city,  but  is  a  traveler 
or  sojourner  in  the  world.  His  house  is  not  made  with  hands 
but  is  in  the  scientific  world.  So  his  whole  aim  is  the 
happiness  of  man.  The  scientific  man  sees  through  matter 
which  is  only  an  error  acknowledged  as  a  truth,  although  it 
is  to  the  natural  man  a  reality.  As  error  holds  on  to  all 
territory  as  under  its  power,  it  keeps  the  scientific  man  in 
slavery  or  bondage.  So  to  keep  the  Science  of  Life  down, 
men  invent  all  sorts  of  humbugs  in  the  shape  of  invisible 
things  and  attribute  life  to  them,  while  they  pretend  to  be  the 
people's  guide  to  wisdom.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  tell  one 
character  from  another,  as  both  communicate  through 
the  same  organs.  As  the  scientific  man  has  to  prove  his 
wisdom  through  the  same  matter  that  the  natural  man  uses 
he  is  often  misrepresented  and  put  down  by  false  stories  of  the 
errors  of  the  natural  man.  This  was  where  Jesus  found  so 
much  trouble  in  His  day,  for  the  people  could  not  tell  who 
■was  speaking. 

The  scientific  man  was  called  by  the  natural  man,  "angel." 
So  if  an  angel  spoke  he  would  listen.  The  natural  man, 
being  superstitious  and  ignorant,  is  easily  led  by  the  cunning 
errors  of  the  world ;  the  leaders,  being  crafty  and  superstitious, 
believe  in  every  phenomenon  wliich  is  produced,  and  tliey 
attribute  it  to  a  power  from  the  invisible  world.  The  locality 
of  this  world  is  the  mystery,  so  all  varieties  of  speculations 
are  got  up  about  it.  It  opens  all  the  avenues  of  matter, 
through  which  to  give  the  inhabitants  "communications" 
But  the  natural  man  has  possession  of  the  mediums,  so  that 
the  scientific  man  is  misrepresented  in  nine-tenths  of  all  he 
says.  To  be  in  the  scientific  world  is  to  acknowledge  a 
wisdom  above  the  natural  man,  which  will  enter  that  world 
where  wisdom  sees  through  matter.  This  is  the  condition  of 
those  who  are  thro\\Ti  into  the  clairvoyant  state.  To 
them  matter  is  nothing  but  an  idea  that  is  seen  or  not,  just 
as  it  is  called  out.  .  .  .  The  explanation  is  given  by  tliese  blind 
guides,  who  have  eyes  but  cannot  see,  ears  but  cannot  hoar, 
and  hearts  but  cannot  understand  Science.  They  are  afraid 
of  the  truth  lest  it  destroy  them,  for  the  death  of  error  is  the 
introduction  of  the  Science  of  Life  and  Happiness. 

As  the  standards  of  parties  are  established  by  error;  it  is 


242       TEE  "WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

almost  imposible  to  introduce  any  new  science  unless  it  is 
explained  on  some  of  the  theories  of  the  natural  man.  Thus 
all  phenomena  are  throwTi  into  tlie  hands  of  blind  guides  who 
have  pronounced  judgment  upon  everything  that  has  appeared. 
Whenever  anyone  shows  a  phenomenon,  the  priest  and  doctor 
catch  the  idea  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  author  and  explain  it 
on  some  theory  already  known  to  the  people.  The  theory  of 
health  is  one  that  has  come  up  many  times  and  failed  because 
of  the  blindness  of  the  wise,  so  that  it  has  now  almost  become 
a  terror  to  the  one  who  had  boldness  enough  to  stand  up  and 
face  the  blind  leaders  of  the  blind.  .  .  . 

This  Christ  whom  you  crucify  by  your  theories,  is  the  same 
that  Jesus  taught  eighteen  hundred  years  ago.  It  was  taught 
by  the  prophets  of  old  and  has  always  been  in  the  world, 
but  has  never  been  applied  to  the  curing  of  disease,  although 
false  Christs  have  arisen  and  deceived  the  people,  and  the  true 
Christ  has  been  crucified  by  the  priest  and  doctor  to  this 
time. 

I  will  now  try  to  establish  this  science  or  rock  and  upon 
it  I  will  build  the  Science  of  Life.  The  starting-point  is 
animal  matter  or  life  which  set  in  action,  leads  to  thought. 
Thoughts,  like  grains  of  sand,  are  held  together  by  their  own 
sympathy  or  attraction.  The  natural  man  is  composed  of 
these  particles  of  thought  combined  and  arranged  to  make  a 
form  called  man.  As  thought  is  always  changing,  so  man  is 
always  throwing  off  particles  or  thoughts  and  receiving  others. 

As  man's  senses  are  in  his  wisdom,  and  his  wisdom  is 
attached  to  his  idea  or  body,  his  change  of  mind  is  under  one 
of  the  two  directions,  either  of  this  world  of  opinions,  or  of 
God  or  Science  and  his  happiness  or  misery  is  the  result  of  his 
thought.  As  the  idea  man  has  always  been  under  the  wisdom 
of  this  world,  the  scientific  man  has  always  been  kept  down, 
from  the  fact  that  no  man  has  ever  risen  to  that  state  where 
the  scientific  man  could  control  the  wisdom  of  the  natural  man. 
This  has  always  caused  man  to  be  at  war  with  himself.  In 
this  warfare  if  the  natural  man  rules,  disease  and  unhappiness 
are  the  fate  of  man.  If  Science  rules,  life  and  happiness  are 
the  reward. 

Now  I  stand  alone  on  this  rock,  fighting  the  errors  of  this 
world,  and  establishing  the  Science  of  Life  by  my  works. 
What  is  my  mode  of  warfare  ?  With  the  axe  of  truth,  I  strike 
at  the  root  of  every  tree  of  error  and  hew  it  down,  so  that  there 


TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  243 

shall  not  be  one  error  in  man  showing  itself  in  the  form  of  dis- 
ease. My  knowledge  is  my  wisdom  and  is  not  matter  or  opin- 
ion. It  decomposes  the  thoughts,  changes  the  combinations 
and  produces  an  idea  clear  from  the  error  that  makes  a  person 
unhappy  or  diseased.  You  see  I  have  something  to  reason 
about,  and  this  something  is  eternal  life,  which  is  in 
Science  and  is  what  Jesus  tried  to  establish. 

If  I  can  show  that  man's  happiness  is  in  his  belief  and  his 
misery  is  the  effect  of  his  belief  then  I  shall  have  done  what 
never  has  been  done  before.  Establish  this  and  man  rises  to  a 
higher  state  of  wisdom  not  of  this  world,  but  of  that  world  of 
Science  which  sees  that  all  human  misery  can  be  corrected 
by  this  principle,  as  well  as  the  evil  effects  of  error.  Then  the 
Science  of  Life  will  take  place  with  other  sciences.  Then  in 
truth  can  be  said  "Oh!  death  (or  error)  where  is  thy  sting. 
Oh !  grave  where  is  thy  victory !"  The  sting  of  ignorance  is 
death.     But  the  wisdom  of  Science  is  life  eternal. 

I  will  show  the  world's  reasoning  and  how  I  reason.  I  will 
take  the  oracles  of  the  world,  for  all  science  of  this  world  of 
opinions  has  oracles.  These  oracles  of  which  I  speak  are  those 
who  pretend  to  instruct  the  people  in  regard  to  health  and  hap- 
piness. The  first  is  the  clergy,  for  they  take  the  lead  in  every- 
thing pertaining  to  man's  happiness.  I  will  ask  them  what 
they  think  of  Jesus,  His  mission  if  He  had  any,  and  of  what 
advantage  it  was  to  the  world.  They  reply  that  the  world 
had  gone  so  far  astray  that  it  was  necessary  to  send  Jesus 
Christ  into  the  world  to  convince  man  of  a  future  state  of 
rewards  and  punishments,  that  he  might  repent  and  be  saved. 
If  this  is  true  I  ask  why  did  Jesus  devote  so  much  time  to  the 
sick?  (Oracle)  To  show  that  He  came  from  God.  (Q) 
What  does  that  prove  ?  If  I  cure  a  person  does  it  prove  that 
I  come  from  God  ?  (0)  No,  but  do  you  make  yourself  equal 
with  Christ?  (Q)  Have  you  any  proof  of  any  thing  that 
you  never  saw  and  is  only  an  opinion?  (0)  The  Bible. 
(Q.)  Does  the  Bible  speak  for  itself  or  does  some  one  explain 
it?     (0)     We  must  take  the  Bible  as  our  guide  to  truth. 

Let  us  now  sum  up  the  wisdom  which  this  oracle  has  deliver- 
ed. All  of  his  wisdom  is  founded  on  an  opinion  that  there 
is  another  world  and  that  Jesus  came  from  that  world  to 
communicate  the  fact  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  one.  The 
happiness  of  man  is  not  increased  by  this  theory,  because  this 
oracle  cannot  cure  the  sick.     Now  Jesus  cured  the  sick  and 


244  THE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES 

said  if  they  "understood  Him  they  might  do  tiie  same.  We 
want  a  theory  like  that  of  Jesus,  not  of  talk  but  of  words,  for 
a  theory  that  cannot  be  put  into  practice  is  worthless. 

My  oracle  is  Jesus:  He  proves  the  goodness  of  wisdom. 
Jesus  was  the  oracle  and  Christ  the  wisdom  shown  through 
this  man  for  the  happiness  of  the  sick  who  had  been  deceived 
by  the  other  two  classes,  priest  and  doctor.  God  or  Wisdom 
has  seen  how  these  blind  guides  had  robbed  the  widow  and  the 
poor  of  their  treasures,  deserted  them  and  left  them  forsaken 
and  despairing,  dependent  upon  the  charity  of  a  wicked  world. 

This  wisdom  developed  itself  through  the  man  Jesus  and 
He  fearlessly  stood  up  and  denounced  these  blind  guides  as 
hypocrites  and  devils. 

THE  SENSES 

Are  our  senses  mind  ?  I  answer,  no.  This  was  the  problem 
ancient  philosophers  sought  to  solve.  Most  of  them  believed 
the  soul,  senses,  and  every  intellectual  faculty  of  man  to  be 
mind,  therefore  our  senses  must  be  mind.  The  translator 
of  Lucretius  says  Lucretius  attacks  the  ancient  academics  who 
held  the  mind  to  be  the  sole  arbiter  and  judge  of  things,  and 
establishes  the  senses  to  be  the  arbitrators.  For,  says  he, 
"whatever  can  correct  and  confute  what  is  false,  must  of  neces- 
sity be  the  criterion  of  truth,  and  this  is  done  by  the  senses 
only."  This  difference  is  true  in  part.  Both  were  right. 
But  they  confused  mind  and  senses  into  one,  like  the  modern 
philosophers  who  make  wisdom  and  knowledge,  mind  and 
senses,  Jesus  and  Christ,  synonymous.  Now  mind  and  senses 
are  as  distinct  as  light  and  darkness,  and  the  same  distinction 
holds  good  in  wisdom  and  knowledge,  Jesus  and  Christ. 
Christ,  Wisdom  and  the  spiritual  senses  are  synon3mious.  So 
likewise  are  Jesus,  knowledge  and  mind.  Our  life  is  in  our 
senses:  and  if  our  wisdom  is  in  our  mind,  we  attach  our  life 
and  senses  to  matter.  But  if  our  wisdom  is  attached  to 
Science,  our  life  and  senses  are  in  God,  not  in  matter;  for 
there  is  no  matter  in  God  or  Wisdom;  matter  is  the  medium 
of  Wisdom. 

This  difference  has  been  overlooked  by  the  ancients.  And 
modern  philosophers  have  put  mind  and  soul  in  matter,  thus 
making  a  distinction  without  a  difference.  Now  according 
to  modern  philosophy,  the  soul,  mind,  life  and  senses  are  all 
liable  to  die;  but  according  to  this  truth  mind  is  spiritual 


TEE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES  246 

matter,  and  all  matter  must  be  dissolved.  Wisdom  is  not 
[physical]  life.  Our  senses  are  not  life.  But  all  of  these  are 
solid  and  eternal;  and  to  know  them  is  life  and  life  eternal. 
Life  is  in  the  knowledge  of  this  wisdom,  and  death  is  in  the 
destruction  of  your  opinions  or  matter. 

I  will  give  some  experiments  of  a  man  of  wisdom  acting 
through  and  dissolving  the  man  of  matter  so  the  man  of  wis- 
dom can  escape.  This  process  is  Science.  Take  for  ex- 
ample two  persons,  or  you  and  myself.  One  wishes  to 
communicate  to  the  other  some  fact.  You  feel  a  pain,  I  also 
feel  it.  Now  the  sympathy  of  our  minds  mingling  is  spirit- 
ual matter.  But  there  is  no  wisdom  in  it,  for  wisdom  is 
outside  of  matter.  If  we  both  feel  the  same  pain,  we  each 
call  it  our  own ;  for  we  are  devoid  of  that  wisdom  which  would 
make  us  know  we  were  affecting  each  other.  Each  one  has 
his  own  identity  and  wants  sympathy,  and  the  ignorance  of 
each  is  the  vacuum  that  is  between  us.  So  we  are  drawn  to- 
gether by  this  invisible  action  called  sympathy.  Now  make 
man  wise  enough  to  know  that  he  can  feel  the  pains  of  another, 
and  then  you  get  him  outside  of  matter.  The  wisdom  that 
knows  this  has  eternal  life,  for  life  is  in  the  knowledge  of  this 
wisdom.     This  the  world  is  unacquainted  with. 

Now  Jesus  had  more  of  this  life  or  truth  than  any  other 
person,  and  to  teach  it  to  another  is  a  science.  If  you  know 
it  and  can  teach  it,  you  are  a  teacher  of  the  truth.  But  if 
you  know  it  and  cannot  teach  it,  you  are  a  follower  of  the 
truth.  Now  the  knowledge  of  this  truth  is  life,  and  the 
absence  of  it  is  death.  There  are  a  great  many  kinds  of  life. 
The  natural  man  begins  at  his  birth.  Animal  life  is  not  vege- 
table, and  vegetable  is  not  animal  life.  And  there  is  another 
kind  of  life  that  is  not  understood,  and  that  is  the  life  that 
follows  the  knowledge  of  this  great  truth.  The  word  "life" 
cannot  be  applied  to  Wisdom,  for  that  has  no  beginning  and 
life  has.  The  word  death  is  applied  to  everything  that  has 
life.  All  motion  or  action  produces  life,  for  where  there 
is  no  motion  there  is  no  life.  Matter  in  motion  is  called  life. 
Life  is  the  action  of  matter,  and  to  know  it  is  a  truth,  and  to 
know  how  to  produce  it  is  Wisdom.  This  Wisdom  was  pos- 
sessed by  Jesus,  for  He  says :  "My  sheep  hear  my  voice  and  I 
give  unto  them  eternal  life."  "I  (Christ)  and  my  Father 
are  one." 

I  shall  show  that  Jesus  was  not  life,  but  life  or  Christ  was 


246       THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

in  Him,  and  He  taught  it.  He  says :  "Whosoever  will  save 
his  life  shall  lose  it,  and  whosoever  shall  lose  his  life  for  my 
sake  shall  find  it."  The  people  believed  their  life  to  be  in 
themselves.  But  Jesus  knew  their  lives  were  in  God,  for  if 
they  lost  their  opinions  and  found  this  Truth,  then  they  had 
lost  their  life  and  found  it. 

I  will  now  take  my  own  practice  to  explain  what  life  is 
according  to  Jesus.  I  said  if  two  persons  were  sitting  together, 
and  each  felt  a  pain  each  would  call  it  his  own.  Now  this 
pain  is  life,  for  it  contains  our  senses,  and  this  life  is  in  mat- 
ter, for  the  pain  is  in  our  mind,  and  our  mind,  senses,  and  life 
are  all  the  same  according  to  the  world's  wisdom,  I  know  I 
can  take  a  person's  feelings,  and  this  knowledge  to  me  is  truth, 
and  to  know  it  is  life,  and  this  knowledge  the  patient  does  not 
possess.  He  knows  he  has  a  pain  and  this  to  him  is  a  truth, 
but  this  life  is  in  his  belief,  and  so  his  life  is  liable  to  be  lost 
by  his  losing  his  mind.  My  life  is  in  my  wisdom  and  my  wis- 
dom is  not  matter.  So  that  to  know  this  is  a  truth  outside 
of  my  patient's  belief,  and  this  truth  contains  my  life.  To 
get  his  senses  out  of  his  matter  into  this  truth  is  to  give  him 
eternal  life.  I  want  to  give  him  eternal  life  to  save  him 
from  the  sufferings  occasioned  by  his  belief  that  he  may  lose 
his  life  by  disease  of  the  heart.  My 'wisdom  acting  is  in 
matter  but  it  is  no  part  of  it,  so  what  to  him  is  disease  is  to 
me  spiritual  matter  tliat  can  be  changed.  His  ignorance  keeps 
his  senses  in  fear  of  death,  and  all  his  life  subject  to  bondage 
through  his  belief. 

I  commence  by  describing  his  feelings.  These  he  admits; 
but  how  I  can  tell  them  is  to  him  a  mystery.  This  I  know 
for  I  see  him  in  his  error,  yet  he  cannot  see  me  in  his  wis- 
dom, for  it  is  in  its  own  prison.  It  wants  me  to  explain  how  I 
can  see  it,  and  how  I  know  how  it  feels.  I  will  suppose  you, 
the  reader,  to  be  the  patient,  and  that  you  acknowledge  that 
I  tell  your  feelings  and  what  you  think  is  your  disease. 
All  this  I  get  from  you  without  your  knowledge,  therefore 
you  do  not  know  how  I  do  it.  So  I  will  inform  you.  Ideas 
have  life.  A  belief  has  life  or  matter,  for  it  can  be  changed. 
Now  all  the  aforesaid  make  up  the  natural  man,  and  all  this 
can  be  changed.  As  I  am  trying  to  convince  you  how  I  take 
your  feelings  I  must  use  such  illustrations  as  you  understand, 
for  my  life  is  in  my  words,  and  if  my  words  cannot  destroy 
your  life  or  matter,  then  I  cannot  give  you  my  life  or 
wisdom. 


THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  247 

I  will  now  take  a  rose  for  an  illustration.  You  are  like  a 
rose.  You  throw  from  yourself  an  atmosphere  or  vapor. 
When  the  rose  is  dead  all  outside  of  it  is  darkness  to  the  germ 
of  the  hud.  This  is  the  child.  As  the  rose  opens  it  expands 
and  unfolds  itself  to  the  world,  the  same  as  a  child's  brain  ex- 
pands and  opens  the  folds  of  its  understanding.  As  the  rose 
comes  before  the  world  of  roses  it  takes  its  stand  with  the  rest 
of  its  kind.  So  it  is  with  man.  As  he  unfolds  his  knowl- 
edge, he  is  classed  with  others  of  his  kind.  As  the  rose 
throws  off  its  peculiarities  to  tlie  air,  the  world  judges  of  its 
odor.  So  as  man  throws  off  his  peculiar  character  or  life, 
health  or  disease,  the  world  is  to  judge  of  his  happiness  or 
misery  by  the  fruits  of  his  belief. 

Take  a  person  with  consumption.  The  idea  consumption 
decomposes  and  throws  off  an  odor  that  contains  all  the  ideas 
of  the  person  affected.  This  is  true  of  every  idea  or  thought. 
Now  I  come  in  contact  with  this  odor  thrown  from  you,  and 
being  well  I  have  found  by  twenty  years  experience  that  these 
odors  affect  me,  and  also  that  they  contain  the  identity  of  the 
patient  whom  this  odor  surrounds.  This  called  my  attention 
to  it,  and  I  found  that  it  was  as  easy  to  tell  the  feelings  or 
thoughts  of  a  person  sick  as  to  detect  the  odor  of  spirits  from 
that  of  tobacco.  I  at  first  thought  I  inhaled  it,  but  at  last 
found  that  my  spiritual  senses  could  be  affected  by  it  when  my 
body  was  at  a  distance  of  many  miles  from  the  patient.  This 
led  to  a  new  discovery,  and  I  found  my  [real]  senses  were  not 
in  my  body,  but  that  my  body  was  in  my  senses,  and  my 
knowledge  located  my  senses  according  to  my  wisdom.  If 
a  man's  knowledge  is  in  matter  all  there  is  of  him  (to  him) 
is  contained  in  matter.  But  if  his  knowledge  is  in  Wisdom, 
then  his  senses  and  all  there  is  of  him  are  outside  of  matter. 
To  know  this  is  a  truth,  and  the  effect  is  life  in  this  truth, 
and  this  truth  is  in  Wisdom.  So  the  man  who  knows  all 
this  is  in  Wisdom  with  all  his  senses  and  life. 

Then  where  do  I  differ  from  you?  In  this  respect.  My 
wisdom  is  my  health,  and  your  wisdom  is  your  disease;  for 
your  wisdom  is  in  your  belief,  and  my  wisdom  is  my  life  and 
senses,  and  my  senses  teach  me  that  your  trouble  is  the  effect 
of  your  belief.  What  is  light  to  me  is  darkness  to  you.  You 
being  in  the  dark  stumble  and  are  afraid  of  your  own  shadow. 
I  with  the  eye  of  Truth  see  in  your  darkness  or  belief, 
and  you  seem  to  me  blind.     Or,  like  the  rose,  you  cannot  see  the 


248       THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

light,  while  I  am  in  the  light,  and  see  through  the  clouds  of 
your  ignorance,  see  your  senses  and  all  there  is  of  you,  held 
in  this  ignorance  by  error,  trying  like  the  life  of  the  rose  bud  to 
break  through  and  come  to  the  light.  You  have  eyes,  taste, 
and  all  your  senses,  but  the  clouds  are  before  them,  and  as 
Jesus  said,  "Ye  have  eyes  and  see  not,  and  have  ears  and 
hear  not,  and  a  heart  that  cannot  understand."  Now  what 
is  the  reason  ?  It  is  this.  Your  eyes  have  not  seen,  your  ears 
have  not  heard,  and  your  heart  has  not  understood  what 
happiness  there  is  in  knowing  that  your  life,  senses,  and  all 
that  there  is  near  and  dear  to  you  is  no  part  of  matter,  and 
that  matter  is  only  a  belief  or  casket  to  hold  you  in  till  Wisdom 
dissolves  the  casket,  and  lets  you  into  the  light  of  Science. 
Then  you  will  hold  life  in  the  form  of  the  rose,  and  live  in  a 
world  of  light,  where  the  sorrows  of  hell  and  disease  can  never 
come,  where  you  can  sit  and  see  that  what  man  takes  for 
reality  is  only  the  works  of  heathen  superstition.  Then  you 
will  not  be  afraid  of  disease,  which  leads  to  death. 

You  may  ask  if  all  I  say  is  true  what  is  it  good  for  ?  If  it  is 
only  a  belief,  I  admit  that  it  is  of  no  more  value  to  a  person 
than  any  religious  belief.  You  may  ask  for  proof  that  will 
give  some  light  upon  the  subject.  I  will  give  it,  as  near  as  a 
man  who  has  eyesight  can  explain  colors  to  a  blind  per- 
son. When  I  sit  by  a  patient,  if  he  thinks  he  has  disease  of 
the  heart,  the  atmosphere  surrounding  him  is  his  belief,  and 
the  fear  of  death  is  in  the  density  of  the  clouds  of  his  mind. 
Now  knowing  he  is  in  the  clouds  somewhere  I,  as  it  were,  try 
to  arouse  him.  But  it  appears  as  though  he  were  blind.  So 
I  shake  him  to  arouse  him  out  of  his  lethargy.  At  last  I 
see  him  aroused  and  look  around,  but  soon  sink  back  again. 
By  my  talk  I  disturb  the  clouds,  and  this  sometimes  makes 
the  patient  very  nervous,  like  a  person  coming  out  of  a  fit 
or  awakened  from  a  sound  sleep.  What  I  say  is  truth,  and 
being  solid  it  breaks  in  pieces  his  matter  or  belief,  till  at 
last  he  looks  up  to  inquire  what  has  been  the  trouble.  My 
explanation  rouses  him  and  gives  another  change  to  his  mind, 
and  that  is  like  a  thunder  storm..  When  it  thunders  and  the 
lightning  flashes,  the  patient  is  nervous.  WHien  the  cloud 
of  ignorance  passes  over  and  the  light  of  truth  comes,  then 
the  patient  sees  where  his  misery  came  from,  and  that  it  was 
believing  a  lie  that  made  him  sick.  My  arguments  are  based 
upon  my  knowledge  of  his  feelings,  and  this  knowledge  put  in 


TEE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES  249 

practice  is  the  Science  of  Health/  and  is  for  the  benefit  of  the 
sick  and  suffering, 

HOW  THE  SENSES  ARE  DECEIVED 

Why  is  it  that  I  run  a  greater  risk  of  being  misrepresented 
in  regard  to  my  mode  of  curing  than  practitioners  of  other 
schools?  I  must  be  allowed  to  offer  my  own  explanation  of 
this  fact;  because  if  I  were  understood  I  should  not  be  in 
danger  of  being  misrepresented  and  condemned  by  the  guilty. 
I  stand  alone,  a  target  at  which  all  classes  aim  their  poisonous 
darts,  for  I  make  war  with  every  creed,  profession,  and  idea 
that  contains  false  reasoning.  Every  man's  hand  therefore 
is  against  me,  and  I  am  against  every  man's  opinion. 

Man's  senses  may  be  compared  to  a  young  virgin  who  has 
never  been  deceived  by  the  world.  Popular  errors  are  like 
a  young  prince  who  stands  ready  to  bestow  his  addresses  upon 
all  whom  he  can  deceive.  When  he  approaches  the  virgin  he 
appears  like  an  angel  of  light  and  wisdom.  By  soft  speech 
and  imposing  address  he  wins  the  virgin  maid  to  his  belief. 
Having  become  entangled  in  his  web  or  false  doctrines,  she  is 
carried  away  from  her  home  or  state  of  innocence  into  the 
gulf  of  despair,  there  to  live  a  miserable  existence  or  become 
a  slave  to  fashion.  In  tliis  state  a  false  theory  holds  out  to 
her  all  kinds  of  ideas  and  she  becomes  a  slave  to  the  world. 
Error  favors  the  utmost  freedom  in  thought  and  conduct, 
and  offers  all  the  allurements  of  pleasure  and  enjoyment  to 
the  young.  Each  one  is  approached  with  some  fascinating 
idea  with  which  he  is  carried  away  and  to  which  he  becomes 
wedded.  These  are  the  ideas  founded  in  man's  wisdom,  and 
manifested  through  man.  The  pure  virgin  ideas  are  also 
shadowed  through  the  same  medium,  and  each  is  addressed 
by  truth  or  by  error.  Error  in  making  a  picture  of  Wisdom 
assumes  an  air  of  wisdom.  Wisdom,  •  however,  like  charity, 
is  not  puffed  up  and  it  is  slighted  by  error.  It  is  looked  upon 
by  the  young  as  an  old  conservative.  They  say  to  it,  "De- 
part for  a  time,  while  I  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  error,  and  when 
I  am  satisfied  I  will  call  upon  you."  Wisdom  is  banished 
from  the  society  of  the  world,  and  error  like  a  raging  lion 
goes  about  devouring  all  whom  it  can  find. 

In  the  shape  of  man  it  approaches  the  virgin  mind,  and  in 
musical  tones  commences  paying  his  addresses.  Finally  over- 
1  This  was  written  in  1861. 


250       THE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES 

come  by  sophistry,  she  is  won  to  his  opinions,  and  is  soon 
wedded  to  his  ideas,  and  they  two  become  one  flesh.  Her 
senses  are  attached  to  matter.  What  is  his  is  hers,  and  she 
is  in  all  respects  the  partner  and  wife  of  error.  She  is  no 
longer  a  virgin  but  a  wedded  wife.  The  belief  is  the  hus- 
band. When  a  person  is  converted  from  one  belief  to  another 
she  leaves  her  husband  and  marries  another.  This  was  the 
case  with  the  woman  whom  Jesus  told  that  she  had  truly  said 
she  had  no  husband,  "for  he  whom  thou  now  hast  is  not  thy 
husband."  She  had  served  different  religious  beliefs  and  as 
each  was  destroyed  by  her  wisdom,  she  became  a  widow. 
Then  she  joined  herself  to  another  and  became  a  wife.  These 
husbands  were  creeds,  and  the  virgins  were  those  who  cared 
nothing  for  religion,  and  had  no  settled  opinions  about  the 
future.  The  beliefs  in  regard  to  another  world,  were  repre- 
sented by  men,  for  they  were  the  embodiment  of  man's 
opinion,  like  virgin  soil.  When  Jesus  sought  to  explain  the 
truth,  he  compared  it  to  a  wedding  and  all  who  could  under- 
stand entered  in.  The  ten  virgins  represented  two  classes, 
one  having  wisdom  outside  of  the  natural  senses,  and  those 
who  cannot  believe  anything  outside  of  their  senses.  ^Vhen 
the  truth  came  they  arose  and  trimmed  their  lamps,  but  those 
who  had  no  oil  or  understanding  could  not  enter.  Every  one 
who  has  not  risen  above  the  natural  man,  but  is  contented 
with  being  ignorant  is  a  foolish  virgin,  while  those  who  try 
to  understand  are  of  the  other  class.  Every  one  belongs  to 
the  former  till  wedded  to  a  belief. 

There  is  still  another  class.  Those  who  having  professed  to 
belong  to  a  certain  sect  and  having  united  with  it  after  a 
while  leave  and  join  another.  These  are  persons  having 
committed  adultery,  for  they  are  living  with  a  new  belief, 
therefore  they  are  to  be  stoned  and  turned  out  of  the  church. 
This  explains  the  case  of  a  woman  brought  before  Jesus  as  an 
adulterer.  She  had  left  the  world's  belief,  and  had  become 
interested  in  Jesus'  truth.  To  the  Jews  she  had  committed 
adultery  and  had  been  caught  in  advocating  His  truth.  As 
she  did  not  fully  understand,  she  was  not  lawfully  married, 
and  her  husband  or  the  church  had  claims  upon  her.  The 
Jews,  therefore,  thinking  she  deserved  punishment,  brought 
her  to  Jesus  to  see  what  His  judgment  would  be.  When  He 
had  heard  their  story  He  said,  "let  him  who  is  guiltless  cast 
the  first  stone."    They  all  immediately  left,  and  He  asked  her, 


THE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES  251 

'Vhere  are  thy  accusers?'^  or  thy  fears  that  this  is  not  the 
true  light  that  lighteth  every  one  that  receiveth  it !  She  re- 
plied "No  belief  has  any  effect  on  me."  And  He  said,  "Go 
thy  way  and  believe  in  man's  opinion  no  more." 

This  article  was  written  from  the  impressions  that  came 
upon  me  while  sitting  by  a  young  lady  who  was  afraid  of 
dying,  and  also  was  afraid  of  being  blind.  It  may  seem 
strange  to  those  in  health  how  our  belief  affects  us.  The  fact 
is  there  is  nothing  of  us  [the  natural  man]  but  belief.  It  is 
the  whole  capital  stociv  in  trade  of  man.  It  is  all  that  can 
be  changed,  and  embraces  everything  man  has  made  or  ever 
will  make.  Wisdom  is  the  scientific  man,  who  can  destroy 
the  works  of  the  natural  man.  Disease  is  made  by  the 
natural  man's  belief  in  some  false  idea.  The  error  comes  to 
the  virgin  mind  and  makes  an  impression.  The  soil  is 
disturbed  and  the  mind  listens  or  waits  to  be  taught.  If  it 
is  misled,  briars  and  thorns  and  troubles  spring  up  in  its 
path  through  life.  These  all  go  to  make  the  man  of  belief. 
Wisdom  destroys  tliese  false  ideas,  purifies  the  soil,  and 
brings  the  mind  under  a  higher  state  of  cultivation.  This  is 
the  work  of  Science.  Wlien  a  person  has  made  himself  a 
body  of  sin  and  death,  truth  destroys  his  death,  and  attaches 
his  senses  to  a  body  of  life. 

THE  SENSES  AND  LANGUAGE 

Why  is  it  that  mankind  have  settled  down  on  the  fact  that 
man  has  five  senses,  no  more,  no  less?  The  wise  say  the 
spiritual  man  has  two  more,  making  seven.  Now,  what  is  a 
sense  ?  We  often  say  "such  a  thing  comes  within  my  senses." 
If  "senses"  mean  what  the  wise  say  it  does  why  is  man  set 
down  above  the  brute?  Let  us  see  how  they  compare.  Man 
sees,  hears,  tastes,  smells  and  feels,  and  so  does  the  brute; 
neither  shows  any  prominence  of  wisdom  over  the  other. 
When  you  ask  where  is  man's  superiority  you  are  told  that 
man  reasons  and  the  brute  does  not.  Ask  for  proof  and 
people  can  show  no  difference  only  as  they  make  their  own 
minds.  If  you  place  them  together  the  brute  is  a  little  the 
shrewder. 

Now  all  will  admit  that  there  is  a  vast  difference  between 
a  wise  man  and  a  brute,  but  the  brutal  man  is  as 
much  below  the  brute  as  the  latter  is  below  the  wise  man. 
This  wisdom  that  makes  man  above  the  brute  is  not  of  this 


252       THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

brutal  world,  but  comes  from  some  higher  source.  I  have  so 
much  confidence  in  the  wisdom  of  the  wise  men  of  old  that  I 
have  no  doubt  but  they  solved  that  question,  and  I  have  so 
little  confidence  in  the  wisdom  of  this  world  that  I  disbelieve 
every  truth  founded  on  man's  opinion. 

We  often  hear  of  the  laws  of  God,  but  when  we  ask  for  wis- 
dom on  the  subject,  the  wise  fail  to  give  us  the  information 
desired  by  the  scientific  man.  They  can  give  their  opinion 
and  as  that  contains  no  knowledge  the  scientific  must  look 
for  wisdom  elsewhere  than  to  the  wisdom  of  this  brutal  world 
of  five  senses.  So  I  will  leave  man  and  brute  with  their  five 
senses  and  search  out  some  other  way  to  solve  the  problem  of 
the  senses. 

I  will  ask  any  one  if  seeing  is  matter,  or  is  it  something 
independent  of  matter  ?  For  instance,  you  see  a  shadow :  is 
the  power  that  sees  any  part  of  the  shadow  ?  All  will  say  no. 
Then  the  shadow  comes  in  contact  with  something.  Now  what 
is  that  something  called  sight  or  one  of  the  senses?  Is  it 
matter?  The  natural  man  cannot  answer  that  question  any 
more  than  the  brute.  He  says  the  eye  is  the  sight.  Jesus 
says  the  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye.  So  the  natural  man 
and  Jesus  differ.  Settle  this  question  and  you  have  one  of 
the  five  senses  defined  so  that  there  can  be  no  dispute  between 
the  scientific  and  natural  or  brutal  man.  As  the  natural  man 
has  failed  to  satisfy  the  scientific  man  let  the  latter  try  to 
convince  the  natural  man  of  his  error.  The  scientific  man 
makes  all  sensation  outside  of  the  idea  of  matter,  so  that  to 
him  all  sensation  must  be  made  on  something  independent  of 
the  natural  idea  of  the  senses. 

All  will  admit  that  God  knows  all  things.  If  you  do  not 
own  it  you  must  admit  it  if  you  are  above  the  brute ;  else  you, 
admitting  that  the  brute  knows  nothing  about  God,  put  your- 
self on  a  level  with  the  brute.  So  I  take  it  for  granted  that 
this  question  is  settled,  that  God  knows  all  things.  So  God 
sees,  that  is  one  sense.  All  will  admit  that  God  is  equal  to 
man,  at  least  in  regard  to  wisdom.  If  we  can  show  that 
man's  senses  can  act  independently  of  his  natural  body,  if  it 
can  be  shown  that  man's  wisdom  is  not  of  matter  but  of  God, 
we  will  divide  him  into  as  many  senses  as  it  is  necessary  for 
the  scientific  world. 

What  is  necessary  for  the  natural  man's  happiness  is  to  eat, 
drink  and  enjoy  himself  in  the  easiest  way  he  can.     The 


TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  253 

savage  is  a  fair  specimen  of  the  natural  man  and  the  wild 
beast  the  natural  specimen  of  the  brute  creation.  One  has  no 
preeminence  over  the  other — "might  is  right" — each  is  happy 
when  not  disturbed.  If  never  disturbed  they  would  be  like 
the  fool  without  even  error.  But  disturbance  brings  other 
senses  into  action,  and  as  wisdom  is  developed  it  gives  man  a 
knowledge  of  himself  above  the  natural  man  of  five  senses. 
Thus  the  wisdom  of  the  scientific  man  sees  the  man  with  the 
five  senses,  a  little  above  the  brute,  in  error  trying  to  free  him- 
self from  his  earthly  matter,  or  ignorance,  and  arrive  at 
knowledge  of  phenomena  that  keep  him  in  a  state  of  sin,  dis- 
ease and  death.  So  I  will  leave  the  man  of  five  senses  in  er- 
ror and  talk  to  the  scientific  man  about  the  other  senses. 

He  is  not  embraced  in  one  idea.  A  man  may  be  scientific 
in  many  sciences,  mathematics,  chemistry,  astronomy,  all  that 
are  acknowledged  and  admitted  by  even  the  natural  man, 
though  not  understood.  But  the  Science  of  Happiness  is  not 
acknowledged  by  the  wisdom  of  the  five  senses.  It  requires 
more  senses  to  put  men  in  possession  of  this  Science  that  will 
teach  him  happiness.  As  happiness  is  what  follows  a  belief 
it  is  necessary  to  know  whether  our  wisdom  is  of  this  world  of 
opinion  or  of  the  world  of  Science.  This  world  sees  nothing 
outside  of  its  senses.  Wisdom  sees  nothing  of  the  natural 
man's  senses  but  ignorance,  so  that  the  wisdom  of  this  world 
is  opposed  to   the  Science  of  Happiness. 

Let  us  see  what  will  be  admitted  by  all.  I  believe  it  will  not 
be  denied  that  there  is  such  a  phenomenon  as  mesmerism ;  if 
it  is  denied  those  who  do  so  may  enjoy  their  own  opinions 
and  I  will  turn  to  those  who  admit  it.  This  embraces  a  large 
class  of  the  scientific  world,  so  taking  it  for  granted  that  the 
phenomenon  can  be  produced,  I  will  show  how  many  senses  a 
person  has  in  a  mesmerised  state.  I  once  put  many  persons 
into  this  state  and  none  with  one  exception,  had  any  idea  of 
seeing  through  their  [natural]  eyes.  There  was  one  who 
thought  he  saw  through  his  eyes  but  all  experiments  show  that 
it  is  not  so.  In  fact,  a  mesmerised  subject  is  all  that  any 
person  can  be  in  the  waking  state;  at  the  same  time  he  is 
another  person  separate  from  his  earthly  identity.  He  can 
feel,  fly,  walk,  and  pass  into  the  sea  and  describe  things  lost. 
He  can  find  things  that  he  knows  not  of  in  another  state. 

Now  where  and  what  was  this  invisible  something  tliat 
could  pass  in  and  out  of  matter?    What  is  this  clairvoyance? 


254       TEE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES 

It  is  the  mystery  or  power  that  has  troubled  the  wisdom  of 
this  world  to  solve.  Solve  this  problem  and  you  give  a  knowl- 
edge to  man  that  the  world  has  always  admitted  but  not 
understood.  To  understand  the  phenomenon  is  to  go  back  to 
the  First  Cause  and  see  what  man  was.  We  must  go  back  of 
language  to  find  the  cause  that  prompted  man.  So  let  us  pass 
back  of  language  and  we  see  living  beings  going  round  like 
beasts,  not  seeming  to  have  any  way  of  communicating  with 
each  other.  Then  each  acted  on  his  own  responsibility, 
eating  and  drinking,  as  it  pleased  himself.  Now,  the  desire 
for  food  prompted  the  mind,  and  as  food  has  a  sort  of  odor 
that  arises  from  it,  man,  like  the  beast,  was  drawn  to  the  odor 
from  a  desire  to  have  this  sensation  gratified,  so  that  the  odor 
attracted  the  man  like  the  beast,  not  by  sight  but  by  smell. 
Here  is  one  sensation,  but  with  no  name.  It  is  the  same  in 
man  and  beast,  each  eats  and  is  satisfied.  As  they  eat  taste 
comes.  This  opens  the  mind  to  see  what  the  thing  is;  this 
brings  sight,  or  knowledge.  So  they  go  on  until  all  the 
faculties  are  developed.  As  the  faculty  of  smell  was  of  more 
importance  than  sight  it  was  the  one  most  desired.  For  it  not 
only  attracted  the  animal  to  the  thing  smelt  but  also  warned 
him  of  the  danger  of  being  destroyed,  so  that  all  animals 
cultivate  this  sense  for  their  safety.  So  by  experience  all 
animals  learned  to  keep  clear  of  each  other  by  the  peculiar 
faculty  of  smell.  As  they  associated  sight  with  the  odor,  then 
when  the  odor  came  in  contact  with  their  other  senses  they 
would  create  the  thing  contained  in  the  odor.  If  it  was  an 
odor  from  some  living  thing  that  they  were  afraid  of  they 
would  fly  or  run  until  they  were  free  from  their  enemy.  So 
little  by  little  the  wild  beast  settled  down  to  a  basis  that  gave 
each  a  faculty  to  counteract  some  other  faculty  in  another. 
The  lion  depended  on  his  smell  and  so  did  all  animals  who 
were  inferior  to  their  enemies,  so  that  if  the  lion  imitated 
some  other  animal,  for  instance  if  quick  in  his  motions  he 
would  not  be  so  acute  in  his  smell,  so  the  victim  could  keep  out 
of  the  lion's  way  and  still  be  in  his  sight.  The  atmosphere 
of  the  lion  was  certain  death  to  the  other  animals,  so  that 
their  fright  threw  off  an  odor  that  did  not  attract  the  lion 
until  the  object  of  his  prey  came  in  contact  with  his  sight.  So 
all  things  went  on  in  this  way  and  man  was  at  the  mercy  of 
the  wild  beast,  his  sense  of  smell  was  as  acute  as  that  of  the 
animal. 


TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  255 

Now,  necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention,  and  it  became 
necessary  for  man  to  introduce  something  to  counteract  the 
wild  beast.  Hence  it  was  natural  for  man  to  give  his  fellow- 
man  a  sign  of  their  danger,  for  men  like  all  other  animals 
would  go  together  in  herds  or  parties.  This  state  must 
lead  to  language,  so  that  language  came  about  for  the  safety 
of  the  race.  Now  the  sense  of  smell  was  the  foundation  of 
language  and  as  language  was  made  to  apply  to  some 
sensation,  it  must  take  time  to  introduce  it,  for  the  odor  must 
be  so  defined  that  a  person  perceiving  a  thing  named  could 
describe  it.  .  .  . 

As  language  was  introduced  the  sense  of  smell  became  more 
blunt  till  like  other  instincts  it  gave  way  to  another  standard. 
As  imitation  was  developed  the  practice  of  thinking  increased, 
80  that  thinking  came  to  be  as  much  of  a  sense  as  smelling. 
The  action  of  forming  thought  into  things  or  ideas  became  a 
sense,  the  power  or  sense  of  imitation  brought  up  the  sense  of 
motion  so  that  man's  thought  when  put  into  an  idea  would 
seem  to  have  life.  All  the  above  was  spiritual  and  it  could 
not  be  seen  by  the  natural  man  or  beast.  So  the  spiritual 
man  would  imitate  his  idea  in  some  way  so  that  it  could  be 
seen  and  felt  by  the  natural  man.  Thus  invention  in  the 
spiritual  world  was  shadowed  forth  in  the  natural  world.  As 
this  invention  was  received,  the  spiritual  senses  were  not  relied 
on  for  the  safety  of  man.  Warfare  was  kept  up  till  man  could 
invent  castles  or  places  to  defend  himself  against  the  wild 
beast.  At  last  there  must  be  laws  or  regulations  introduced 
to  feed  those  who  could  not  fight.  The  ones  who  stayed  at 
home  would  be  the  weaker  portion  of  the  race,  including  the 
females,  the  aged  and  children.  So  laws  or  regulations  must 
be  adopted  for  their  support  and  safety  and  penalties  attached 
to  the  disobedience  of  these  laws.  The  officers  of  the  laws 
would  be  taken  from  the  most  aspiring  and  cunning  part 
of  the  tribes.  This  placed  the  leaders  above  the  masses,  so 
competition  sprang  up,  which  increased  the  leaders'  percep- 
tive faculties  to  invent  all  sorts  of  stories  to  keep  the  people 
quiet.  As  language  was  what  they  all  wanted,  those  wlio 
could  teach  it  would  be  looked  upon  as  superior  to  the  rest. 
Phenomena  would  then  as  now  take  place  and  the  wise  would 
be  called  on  to  explain;  this  introduced  astrology  and  priest- 
craft. Then  all  sorts  of  invention  would  spring  up  to  keep 
the  people  in  submission  when  they  grumbled  at  their  leaders, 


256       THE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES 

not  as  they  do  now,  for  we  are  born  slaves,  and  they  were  born 
free.  Therefore  it  required  more  strict  laws  and  punishments 
then  than  now,  all  sorts  of  ideas  were  started,  and  among 
others  the  power  of  creating  objects  that  could  be  seen  was 
cultivated  for  the  benefit  of  the  wise.  This  introduced  spirit- 
ualism among  civilized  tribes,  at  first  for  the  benefit  of  the 
leaders.  So  superstition  became  the  power  to  worship,  and  as 
it  was  necessary  that  some  one  should  explain  the  phenomena 
persons  would  be  appointed,  and  so  priests  and  prophets 
sprang  up.  These  men  must  be  paid  and  cared  for  and  the 
people  were  taxed  to  support  them. 

At  last  the  tribes  formed  themselves  into  nations  and 
kingdoms  and  gave  the  power  to  the  priest,  so  the  priest  stood 
at  the  head  of  the  nation.  As  the  priesthood  was  founded  on 
superstition,  it  was  necessary  to  keep  the  people  superstitious, 
so  all  sorts  of  inventions  were  created  to  keep  the  people  in 
ignorance,  and  as  science  was  invented  or  discovered  all  the 
discoveries  were  kept  a  secret  from  the  people  so  that  any 
chemical  or  mechanical  effect  could  be  produced  and  the 
people  would  think  it  came  from  God.  Astronomy  was 
discovered  and  the  priests  kept  it  as  a  revelation  from  heaven, 
and  all  their  astronomical  calculations  were  made,  not  as  a 
science  for  the  masses,  but  as  a  direct  revelation  from  God  to 
bring  about  some  great  design.  This  kept  the  people  in  a 
state  of  nervous  excitement.  Whatever  the  prophets  could 
make  the  people  believe,  they  would  create.  So  all  they  had 
to  do  was  to  start  a  storm  of  evil  spirits,  and  the  peoples' 
superstition  would  produce  the  phenomena  wanted.  This 
was  proof  that  evil  spirits  did  exist.  Then  it  was  not  hard 
to  make  people  believe  evil  spirits  could  get  hold  of  them.  At 
last  evil  spirits  became  a  matter  of  fact,  so  much  so  that  at 
the  time  of  Saul  there  were  some  fifty  ways  of  getting 
conmunications  from  God,  and  how  many  ways  of  getting  it 
from  the  devil  I  know  not. 

man's  identity 

We  often  speak  of  man's  identity  as  though  there  were  but 
one  identity  attributed  to  him.  This  is  not  the  case.  Man 
has  as  many  identities  as  he  has  opinions,  and  the  one  his 
senses  are  attached  to  last  is  the  one  that  governs  him.  This 
may  seem  strange  but  it  is  true.  Our  senses  are  not  our 
identity,  because  they   cannot  change,  they   are   principles. 


TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  257 

But  our  belief,  thoughts  and  opinions  can  change.  So  when 
we  say  a  person  never  changes  it  is  as  much  as  to  say  he  is  only 
a  brute.  We  say  that  our  tastes  change.  Does  the  principle 
change,  or  our  belief?  The  fact  that  we  are  aware  of  the 
change  shows  the  change  must  be  in  that  which  can  change. 
Then  what  is  it  that  does  not  change?  It  is  that 
Principle  that  never  moves,  the  foundation  of  all  things.  It 
is  that  which  says  when  we  have  found  out  something  new,  as 
we  think,  "  Why  did  you  not  find  it  out  before?  "  It  says  to 
us  when  we  are  investigating  certain  mathematical  truths, 
''This  truth  has  always  existed,  and  we  believed  it."  This 
something  is  Wisdom.  It  does  not  come  or  go,  but  is  like 
light.  You  cannot  keep  it  out  of  sight,  in  fact  you  acknowl- 
edge it  in  every  act.  But  that  which  acknowledges  it  is  not 
the  something  acknowledged.  For  instance,  if  you  work  out 
a  problem  aright,  you  acknowledge  a  wisdom  that  existed  be- 
fore you  knew  it.  The  trouble  is  to  get  our  senses  attached  to 
Wisdom  so  that  we  shall  not  change. 

THE  EFFECT  OF  MIND  UPON  MIND 

It  is  an  undisputed  fact  which  philosophy  has  never  ex- 
plained, that  persons  affect  each  other  when  neither  are  con- 
scious of  it.  According  to  the  principle  by  which  I  cure 
the  sick  such  instances  can  be  accounted  for,  and  it  can  be 
proved  beyond  a  doubt  that  man  is  perfectly  ignorant  of  the 
influences  that  act  upon  him,  and  being  ignorant  of  the  cause 
is  constantly  liable  to  the  effect.  To  illustrate  this  I  will 
relate  a  case  that  came  under  observation. 

A  woman  brought  her  little  son,  about  five  years  old,  to  be 
treated  by  me.  When  I  sat  with  the  child  I  found  his 
symptoms  were  similiar  to  those  which  people  have  in  spinal 
or  rheumatic  troubles.  But  the  child  being  ignorant  of 
names,  and  having  no  fear  of  disease  could  only  describe 
his  feelings  in  this  way :  He  complained  of  being  tired. 
Sometimes  he  said  his  leg  was  sore  and  sometimes  his  head 
was  tired.  To  me  his  feelings  were  as  intelligent  as  any  odor 
with  which  I  am  familiar.  I  described  his  feelings  to  his 
mother,  telling  how  he  would  appear  at  times.  This 
she  said  was  correct,  and  feeling  impressed  with  the  truth 
I  told  her  she  said  she  would  sit  with  me  and  see  if  I  were 
equally  correct  in  describing  her  case.  I  found  that  the 
mother  had  precisely  the  same  feelings  as  the  child,  yet  she 


258       THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

complained  of  disease  which  the  child  never  thought  of,  and 
furthermore  she  had  not  the  least  idea  the  child  had  such 
feelings.  To  prove  that  I  was  right  about  the  child,  I  told 
her  to  ask  him  if  he  did  not  feel  so  and  so  when  he  would 
lay  his  head  down,  and  she  found  I  was  correct.  These  were 
the  mother's  symptoms:  A  heavy  feeling  over  the  eyes,  a 
numbness  in  the  hands,  weakness  in  the  back,  and  a  pain 
going  from  the  foot  to  the  hip,  all  accompanied  by  a  feel- 
ing of  general  prostration.  To  her  every  sensation  was  the 
effect  of  a  sort  of  disease,  yet  every  sensation  she  had  the  child 
had  also,  but  he  had  not  attached  names  to  them.  After  play- 
ing his  leg  would  pain  him,  and  he  would  be  restless  at  night; 
while  the  mother  reasoned  from  the  same  feelings  that  she 
had  spinal  disease,  trouble  of  the  heart,  and  was  liable 
to  have  paralysis.  If  she  had  been  ignorant  as  the  child  of 
names,  she  would  not  have  had  the  fear  of  these  false  ideas, 
and  the  child  would  have  been  well;  for  all  its  trouble  came 
from  its  mother,  and  her  trouble  was  from  the  invention  of 
the  medical  faculty. 

It  may  be  asked,  how  could  the  child  be  affected  by  its 
mother?  In  the  same  way  I  was  affected.  To  have  the 
sense  of  smell  or  any  other  sense,  requires  no  language. 
An  odor  can  be  perceived  by  a  child  as  well  as  by  a  grown 
person.  To  every  disease  there  is  an  odor,  [mental  atmos- 
phere] and  every  one  is  affected  by  it  when  it  comes  within 
nis  consciousness.  Every  one  knows  that  he  can  produce  in 
himself  heat  or  cold  by  excitement.  So  likewise  he  can  pro- 
duce the  odor  of  any  disease  so  that  he  is  affected  by  it.  I 
proved  that  I  could  create  the  odor  of  any  kind  of  fruit,  and 
make  a  mesmerised  person  taste  and  smell  it.  ^ 

Ignorance  of  this  principle  prevents  man  from  investigating 
the  operation  of  the  human  mind.  Such  a  course  would 
change  our  whole  mode  of  reasoning.  It  would  destroy 
society  as  it  is  now  and  place  it  on  another  basis.  In  the 
place  of  hypocrisy,  aristocracy  and  democracy,  the  three 
original  elements  of  society,  science,  progress  and  freedom 
would  be  introduced.  In  his  ignorant  state  man  belongs 
to  the  lowest  of  the  aristocracy,  but  as  he  becomes  scientific 
he  subdues  this  element,  and  then  the  others  are  not  needed 
to  sustain  it.  His  science  works  out  patience,  his  patience 
perseverance,  and  preseverance  wisdom,  and  the  fruits  are 
1  With  his  subject,  Lucius,  1843.  ' 


THE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES  259 

religion.  Now  the  religion  of  today  contains  the  elements 
of  society  and  they  run  through  all  its  roots  and  branches 
and  poison  its  fruit.  Science  makes  war  upon  this  trinity, 
and  the  war  will  continue  till  it  is  crushed. 

Then  democracy  will  be  subject  to  science,  and  hypoc- 
risy will  not  appear  in  the  leaders.  Then  will  come  a  new 
heaven  or  dispensation,  based  on  eternal  Truth,  and  man  will 
be  rewarded  for  what  he  knows,  and  not  for  what  he  thinks 
he  knows.  The  popular  teachers  will  then  publicly  correct 
the  democracy  of  the  errors  which  make  them  sick,  as  well  as 
political  errors.  Now  political  doctors  in  addressing  the 
masses  bind  burdens  on  them,  which  they  kneeling  like 
camels  receive  and  kiss  the  hands  that  bind  them.  This 
slavery  is  the  will  of  aristocracy  and  consequently  it  is  not 
popular  to  oppose  it.  Therefore  no  appeal  must  be  made 
to  the  higher  feelings  but  the  base  passions  must  be  addressed. 
Aristocracy  never  complains  of  oppression  except  when  it 
cannot  oppress.  Its  motto  is  "rule  or  ruin,"  and  where  it 
rules  slavery  is  considered  a  divine  institution.  Science 
is  mocked  at  in  its  religion  and  the  mockery  is  echoed 
by  hypocrisy,  and  it  sits  in  the  hearts  of  the  rulers 
and  delivers  the  law.  Science  like  an  under-current 
is  deep  and  strong,  and  as  its  tide  advances  it  will 
sweep  away  the  foundations  of  aristocracy.  Revolutions 
must  come,  and  no  man  can  tell  what  will  be  the  end  of 
this  generation.  But  Science  will  work  out  the  problem  of 
universal  freedom  to  the  oppressed  in  body  and  mind. 

I  prophesy  that  the  time  will  come  when  men  and  women 
shall  heal  all  manner  of  diseases  by  the  words  of  their  mouth. 
They  will  show  democracy  that  they  have  been  deceived  by 
blind  leaders  who  flattered  them  that  they  ruled,  when  they 
have  no  more  to  do  with  ruling  the  nation  than  the  dog  who 
is  set  on  to  the  swine  has  to  do  with  his  master's  affairs. 
No  slave  either  black  or  white  ever  did  or  ever  can  rule.  They 
both  will  fight  for  their  master  till  they  are  intelligent 
enough  to  know  their  own  rights.  .  .  .  Such  evils  arise 
from  man's  ignorance  of  himself.  If  man  knew  himself 
his  first  object  would  be  to  become  acquainted  with  sensations 
that  affect  him.  He  would  then  learn  that  a  corrupt  foun- 
tain cannot  bring  forth  pure  water,  and  that  from  aristocracy 
nothing  but  tlie  blackest  corruption  can  issue,  which  however 
is  becoming  popular  because  of  the  fountain.     From  the  dens 


260       THE  WOULD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

of  iniquity  comes  an  atmosphere  as  pleasant  to  aristocracy  as 
tobacco  to  one  who  has  been  poisoned  almost  to  paralysis  by 
it.  Tell  him  it  hurts  him ;  the  answer  is,  I  know  it,  but  I  can 
not  help  using  it.  Such  abject  servitude  is  the  medium  of 
aristocracy,  for  democracy  would  never  have  taken  the  weed 
had  not  the  former  set  the  example.  All  drugs  when  taken 
stupify  the  intellect,  so  that  science  cannot  reign.  Error  is  a 
tyrant  and  democracy  is  its  agent  to  destroy  the  progress  and 
happiness  of  man.  Show  a  man  who  smokes  or  chews  just  how 
the  habit  affects  him  and  he  will  part  company  with  tobacco 
as  quickly  as  a  democrat  will  leave  his  leaders  when  he  sees 
the  corruption  of  their  motives.  A  democrat  is  like  a  disease, 
he  believes  in  everything  popular  and  opposes  everything 
unpopular,  and  does  not  regard  the  welfare  of  his  govern- 
ment. 

To  be  popular  in  religion,  praise  the  institutions  of  the 
sabbath  and  the  church.  Say  what  you  please  in  the  street 
about  priestcraft  and  fear  of  man :  only  mention  that  your 
family  go  to  church  and  you  will  be  considered  sound.  To 
be  unpopular,  be  honest  in  every  act ;  treat  others  with  respect ; 
mind  your  own  affairs,  and  permit  others  to  do  the  same. 
Then  like  an  old  fashioned  person  you  will  be  out  of  society 
and  no  one  will  care  for  you.  To  be  independent  is  to 
speak  the  truth  on  all  subjects  without  fear  or  vanity;  con- 
demn error  whenever  it  is  popular ;  treat  others  as  you  wish  to 
be  treated,  and  let  your  religion  be  shown  in  your  acts.  Such 
a  man  will  be  envied  by  aristocracy,  respected  by  the  wise, 
hated  by  hypocrites,  and  listened  to  by  the  thinking  classes. 
He  is  at  the  same  time  popular  and  not  popular.  His  style 
pleases  the  people,  therefore  aristocracy  will  be  forced  to 
admire  him,  in  order  that  it  may  retain  their  power  over 
him,  for  the  rule  is:  "keep  as  near  a  kicking  horse  as  pos- 
sible." 

Physicians  will  admit  what  the  people  believe.  They  will 
acknowledge  I  cure,  but  limit  my  power  to  a  few  nervous 
cases,  and  appeal  to  the  vanity  of  intelligence,  by  saying 
that  it  is  not  possible  that  an  uneducated  person  can  really 
cure  actual  disease.  .  .  . 

IMAGINATION" 

This  word  means  something  or  nothing.  Now  if  it  means 
everything  it  certainly  means  nothing,  but  if  is  applied  to  the 


THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  261 

power  of  invention  or  imitation  it  can  be  understood.  It  is 
wrong  however  to  apply  it  to  deception,  for  a  person  must 
first  be  acted  upon  before  his  imagination  can  produce  a  phe- 
nomenon, otherwise  it  would  apply  equally  to  all  operators, 
but  to  apply  it  to  one  phenomenon  and  not  to  another  of  the 
same  kind  is  not  right.  I  tell  you  a  lie  and  you  believe 
it,  immediately  your  inventive  power  or  imagination  com- 
mences to  create  that  which  I  have  said.  I  explain  the  opera- 
tion of  a  machine  to  you  and  your  inventive  power  immedi- 
ately creates  it  according  as  you  understand  it.  This 
is  imagination.  In  the  first  instance  the  world  says  your 
imagination  has  deceived  you  and  there  is  nothing  in  it, 
but  in  the  latter  case  you  are  right.  This  is  a  misuse  of 
the  word  and  you  suffer  from  it.  This  power  of  forming 
ideas  called  imagination  is  one  of  the  highest  elements  in 
the  human  mind,  and  it  is  the  foundation  of  all  true  dis- 
covery. Yet  like  all  scientific  facts  it  is  abused  and  mis- 
represented. 

To  give  you  a  clearer  idea  of  the  misuse  of  this  word  I 
will  illustrate  it  by  a  religious  belief.  Church  members  never 
use  the  word  imagination  in  speaking  of  their  belief  and  their 
religion.  Do  they  mean  to  say  that  they  believe  without 
creating  the  image  of  their  belief?  If  so  then  what  they  call 
the  power  that  understands  is  really  the  power  of  imagi- 
nation. The  fact  is  that  religious  beliefs  are  founded  in  de- 
ception and  the  leaders  deceive  the  people  into  them.  At 
the  same  time  outsiders  are  sceptical  and  apply  the  words 
"imagination"  and  "superstition"  in  derision.  Every  person 
wishing  to  deceive  the  masses  calls  everything  imagination 
that  does  not  coincide  with  his  belief.  The  medical  faculty 
have  assumed  to  themselves  the  power  of  creating  by  imagi- 
nation every  idea  based  on  wisdom.  All  ideas  opposed  to 
them  are  said  to  be  false,  and  they  say  that  the  imagination 
that  creates  these  ideas  is  a  disgrace,  and  belongs  to  ignorance 
and  superstition. 

A  physician,  for  instance,  may  tell  you  the  most  absurd 
falsehood  that  his  imagination  can  invent,  but  it  is  "true" 
because  it  has  the  sanction  of  the  faculty.  If  you  believe 
him  you  use  the  power  which  if  rightly  applied  is  one  of  the 
best  of  faculties  for  the  purpose  of  creating  a  disease  which 
you  have  taken  for  a  truth.  There  is  no  dispute  or  contro- 
versy about  that.     But  if  some  outsider  should  deceive  you 


262       TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

half  as  much  and  you  should  create  an  idea  you  would  be 
accused  of  being  superstitious,  believing  everything  and 
imagining  all  sorts  of  humbugs. 

The  word  imagination  is  so  misapplied  that  it  has  lost 
all  the  value  it  ever  had,  and  like  religion  it  has  a  name 
without  meaning  covering  numerous  deceptions  applied  to 
weak-minded  people.  I  never  use  the  word  as  others  do. 
When  people  think  they  have  a  disease  which  I  know  they  have 
not,  I  do  not  ascribe  it  to  their  imagination,  but  to  the  fact 
that  they  have  been  deceived.  A  physician  may  tell  you 
what  is  not  true  about  yourself.  If  you  believe  it  and  he 
deceives  you  that  is  no  disgrace  to  you,  for  it  shows  an  hon- 
est heart  and  confidence  in  the  physician.  Then  follows  the 
creation  and  appearance  of  the  thing  he  has  told  you.  As  far 
as  you  are  concerned  you  are  blameless,  but  the  physician  is 
a  liar  and  hypocrite  and  has  used  your  creative  powers  to 
deceive  you  for  his  own  selfish  ends.  Now  when  their 
hypocrisy  and  deceit  are  exposed  they  cry  out,  "humbug, 
our  craft  is  in  danger:  this  quack  works  upon  the  imagina- 
tion of  the  sick  and  makes  them  believe  the  medical  faculty 
are  not  honest." 

Let  me  call  your  attention  to  one  fact;  the  word  imagi- 
nation never  applies  to  the  first  cause.  There  is  a  superior 
power  that  originates,  and  imagination  does  the  work  and 
produces.  Science  detects  the  direction  that  is  given  to 
imagination  and  corrects  it  if  false.  All  men  have  gone  out 
of  the  way,  and  no  one  reasons  from  Science.  So  Wisdom 
classes  them  all,  that  it  may  save  the  whole  by  introducing 
the  light  of  a  new  mode  of  reasoning  that  will  separate  error 
from  truth.  This  refers  to  the  subject  of  health  and  happi- 
ness and  not  to  arts  and  sciences.  The  evils  that  affect 
the  body  and  mind  are  included. 

HOW   THE  OPINIONS   OF   PHYSICIANS   OPERATE 

No  one  knows  the  mischief  or  the  misery  that  physicians 
of  all  kinds  make  by  their  opinions,  and  this  never  will  be 
known  till  man  learns  that  his  belief  makes  his  trouble. 
For  instance,  a  person  feels  a  slight  disturbance  at  the  pit  of 
the  stomach.  Ignorant  of  its  cause,  he  applies  to  a  physician. 
Here  comes  the  trouble.  The  physician  assumes  a  false  char- 
acter. His  practice  makes  him  either  a  simpleton  or  a  knave, 
for  if  honest  he  would  know  that  he  could  not  tell  anything 


THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  263 

about  the  patient.  If  he  were  blind  he  could  not  even  tell 
that  the  patient  was  sick,  so  that  all  his  knowledge  is  gathered 
from  observation  and  questioning.  Therefore  he  is  doctor 
only  in  name.  He  dare  not  risk  his  reputation  by  sitting 
down  by  the  patient  and  telling  his  feelings  as  I  do.  There- 
fore he  knows  he  is  acting  the  part  of  a  hypocrite.  The 
patient  is  in  the  hands  of  a  deceiver,  whose  business  it  is 
to  deceive  him  into  some  belief  that  happens  to  occur  to  him. 
At  this  time  the  physician  stands  to  the  patient  like  a  tailor 
ready  to  fit  him  a  garment.  If  rich  he  will  persuade  him 
he  has  the  spinal  complaint,  or  bronchitis,  or  some  other 
disease  that  fits  the  patient's  fears.  If  very  poor,  and  there 
is  no  chance  for  a  speculation,  he  will  fit  an  old  pair  of  worn 
out  lungs  on  to  him,  just  enough  to  keep  him  breathing  a 
short  time.  This  is  the  way  the  regular  faculty  humbug  the 
people.  Now  when  the  people  are  educated  to  understand 
that  what  they  believe  they  will  create,  they  will  cease  be- 
lieving what  the  medical  men  say,  and  try  to  account  for 
their  feelings  in  some  more  rational  way. 

I  know  that  a  belief  in  any  disease  will  create  a  chemical 
change  ^  in  the  mind,  and  that  a  person  will  create  a  phe- 
nomenon corresponding  to  the  s3Tnptoms.  This  creation  is 
named  disease,  according  to  the  author.  The  idea  disease 
has  no  effect  on  a  person  who  has  no  fear  of  it.  The  idea 
small-pox,  for  instance,  produces  no  effect  on  a  person  who 
has  had  it,  or  has  had  the  varioloid,  or  has  been  vacci- 
nated; but  on  another  it  is  not  so.  The  doctor  can  produce 
a  chemical  change  by  his  talk.  It  makes  no  difference  wliat 
he  says.  A  phenomenon  will  follow  to  which  he  can  give 
a  name  to  suit  his  convenience. 

For  instance,  a  person  gets  into  an  excited,  heated  state 
and  a  doctor  is  called.  He  gives  medicine  which  affects  the 
patient  and  he  feels  better.  That  then  is  what  the  patient 
needed  and  the  doctor  has  the  credit.  If  the  patient  grows 
worse  the  medicine  makes  him  sick;  the  doctor  says  lie  has 
the  S}Tnptoms  of  a  fever,  while  in  reality  he  himself  ha^  been 
the  cause  of  nine-tenths  of  the  trouble.  Give  men  the  knowl- 
edge of  one  great  truth,  that  man  is  constituted  of  two  differ- 
ent principles:  wisdom  which  is  seen  in  Science,  and  error 
which  is  seen  in  matter  or  in  opinions.  The  latter  is  governed 
by  no  principle  known  to  man,  but  is  simply  the  action  of 
cause  and  effect;  but  man  who  sees  only  the  phenomenon 

1  This  term  includes  bodily  changes,  as  well. 


264       THE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES 

puts  wisdom  into  it,  for  the  cause  is  never  seen.  To  the 
natural  man  this  is  a  mystery. 

I  will  illustrate  it.  Take  the  small-pox.  The  first  sen- 
sation upon  the  patient  contains  neither  opinion,  happiness 
nor  misery.  The  cause  was  one  of  the  natural  results  of 
motion  which  might  be  traced  back  through  many  changes 
containing  no  more  harm  than  any  breeze  that  reaches  man 
at  any  hour,  but  it  gives  a  start  to  the  mind  like  the  fall  of 
a  weight.  This  shock  although  containing  no  intelligence, 
disturbed  the  spiritual  senses  (the  real  man).  I  will  drop 
this  illustration  here  and  undertake  to  describe  the  re^ 
man  and  separate  him  from  what  seems  to  be  the  man. 

The  spiritual  senses  are  all  that  there  is  of  a  man.  There- 
fore when  he  changes  his  senses,^  it  is  necessary  to  know  what 
he  gains  or  loses  by  the  change  and  also  what  he  embraces. 
To  suppose  a  man  has  but  five  or  seven  senses  is  as  absurd 
as  to  suppose  he  has  but  a  certain  number  of  ideas.  His 
senses  are  himself,  what  he  knows  and  what  he  thinks  he 
knows.  Paul  divides  man  into  two  identities:  Wisdom  or 
what  could  be  proved  by  a  science,  and  knowledge  or  what 
man  believes  to  be  true.  So  when  a  man  says  he  thinks  he 
knows  or  believes  he  knows  it  is  sure  that  he  does  not  know 
as  he  should.  But  if  he  can  prove  his  knowledge  by  science 
then  Science  is  known  to  him.  Man's  senses  embrace  these 
two  characters,  which  are  natural  opponents,  to  both  of  which 
life  has  been  attached.  The  scientific  man  sees  and  knows 
himself,  and  he  also  sees  and  knows  his  opponent,  but  the 
man  of  opinion  can  only  see  the  scientific  man  in  a  mystery. 
As  Wisdom  advances  in  man  the  effect  is  to  destroy  the  senses 
[belief]  which  are  attached  to  knowledge.  When  knowledge 
overbalances  a  man's  wisdom,  his  error  reigns,  but  if  wisdom 
is  in  the  ascendency  his  knowledge  becomes  subject  to  his 
wisdom.  In  mathematics,  chemistry  and  all  the  arts  and 
sciences  that  can  be  demonstrated  knowledge  submits  to 
wisdom,  but  that  part  of  man's  senses  attached  to  knowledge 
that  is  not  subject  to  science  is  in  the  ascendency  in  religion, 
disease,  and  politics.  These  are  false  sciences  based  on 
opinions.  They  are  the  same  that  Jesus  denounced  as  false 
prophets,  evil  and  blind  guides  who  deceived  the  people. 
These  errors  embrace  that  part  of  man  that  believes  in  sick- 
ness,  death,  another  world,  and  all   kinds  of  superstition. 

1  That  is,  his  consciousness  or  belief,  the  direction  of  his  mind. 


TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  2G5 

They  beget  tyranny  and  selfishness  in  man,  and  slavery  and 
democracy  in  nations.  It  is  the  mission  of  Science  to  de- 
stroy these,  and  Science  will  be  developed  till  they  are  de- 
stroyed. 

Therefore  where  man's  confidence  in  these  opinions  is  at 
an  end  his  senses  will  seem  to  be  annihilated,  but  in  reality 
he  will  be  like  the  young  eagle  which  has  burst  its  shell  and 
soars  aloft  on  the  wings  of  wisdom,  where  he  looks  down  upon 
the  earth  and  sees  the  natural  man  crawling  like  a  reptile 
waiting  to  devour  the  child  of  science  as  soon  as  it  is  born. 
Every  development  of  Wisdom  whether  applied  to  creeping 
things  or  to  the  element  of  freedom,  is  tlie  child  of  God. 
Concealed  in  the  egg  of  slavery  wisdom  is  kept  warm  by  the 
heat  of  discussion,  but  now  it  has  broken  its  shell  and  assumed 
a  character  and  the  enemies  of  freedom,  like  those  of  Christ 
stand  ready  to  devour  it  as  soon  as  it  is  born.  But  the  mother 
of  freedom  will  receive  the  child  to  its  bosom,  and  will  flee 
into  the  wilderness  till  the  time  arrives,  when  the  senses  of 
man  will  be  so  changed  that  slavery  will  be  cliained  to  the 
lowest  grade  of  brutality  and  then  in  the  wilderness  it  will 
die  and  be  forgotten.  The  error  of  disease  will  go  through 
a  similar  revolution,  for  it  has  been  hatched  by  the  church, 
kept  concealed  by  the  medical  faculty,  while  their  opinions 
are  the  very  food  that  has  fed  the  child  of  science  whose  heel 
shall  bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent  disease.  These  two  char- 
acters, science  and  error  are  separate  and  yet  they  act  together 
and  always  will  till  Truth  reigns  over  all  the  dominions  of 
opinion.  They  are  embraced  in  every  man  and  the  separation 
was  the  Science  that  Jesus  taught.  To  understand  the  sepa- 
ration is  eternal  life  in  Science. 

Jesus  came  into  the  world  of  error,  not  into  Science  for 
he  was  there  with  Wisdom.  All  Science  was  with  Wisdom, 
and  when  it  comes  to  the  world  it  comes  as  Jesus  did.  It 
first  comes  to  the  educated,  but  they  having  no  light  to  dis- 
tinguish between  truth  and  error,  and  cannot  receive  it.  So 
it  turns  to  that  class  which  have  no  prejudices,  and  here  in 
the  wilderness  it  develops  itself  until  it  has  attained  its 
growth  and  then  it  comes  forth.  Then  commences  the  war 
between  the  educated  who  are  ignorant  of  the  truth  and 
Science.  While  Science  is  growing  in  the  minds  of  the 
people  its  opponents  are  eating  and  drinking,  gloating  over 
their  spoils,  till  the  tide  of  popular  opinion  sweeps  away 


266       THE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES 

their  foundatiou.  They  never  seem  to  realize  their  danger 
till  their  house  falls  over  their  heads.  This  has  been  the 
case  with  the  democratic  house,  while  they  still  hold  to  the 
idea  tliat  slavery  will  be  tolerated.  The  thunder  of  freedom 
is  shaking  the  temple  to  its  foundation,  and  they  hide  them- 
selves in  the  crevice  of  their  belief,  exclaiming  "I  was  always 
opposed  to  the  extension  of  slavery  but  the  constitution  must 
not  be  violated,"  that  is,  you  must  not  break  the  egg  by  the 
heat  of  discussion  and  let  out  the  bird  of  liberty,  for  if  you 
do  democracy  is  dead. 

The  medical  faculty  reason  in  the  same  way.  ''Do  not  de- 
stroy the  medical  constitution,"  they  say,  "for  you  will  let  in 
a  swarm  of  quacks  that  will  get  the  world  in  a  horrid  state. 
The  regular  physician  will  have  no  standing  and  sickness  and 
death  will  triumph  over  the  land."  The  ministers  also  ex- 
claim, "Do  not  touch  the  Divine  institution,  for  religion  is  all 
that  keeps  the  world  from  going  to  destruction."  Wisdom 
replies,  "I  will  laugh  at  your  fears,  and  I  will  pour  out  light 
like  wrath  and  cut  you  off  from  the  face  of  the  earth  and  give 
the  earth  (or  mind)  to  a  more  enlightened  people,  who  will 
obey  the  laws  of  Science  and  teach  others  to  do  the  same,  and 
you  shall  be  cast  into  everlasting  misery."  This  is  progres- 
sion and  it  is  the  religion  of  Jesus.  It  is  the  stone  of  science 
that  the  builders  of  religion  rejected.  It  is  the  star  that 
guided  the  wise  men  to  the  only  true  God.  Its  body  is  wis' 
dom,  its  blood  is  its  life  and  unless  you  eat  it  and  drink  it  you 
have  no  life  in  you.  Happy  is  he  who  when  a  cloud  of  dis- 
ease comes  (for  the  Lord  is  always  in  clouds  of  error)  can  sav 
I  fear  not,  fear  hath  torment  and  perfect  love  casteth  out 
fear.  He  will  rise  from  the  clouds  and  meet  Christ  above 
the  opinions  of  man,  then  when  Science  comes  you  will  not 
be  harmed. 

I  wish  to  make  you  understand  these  two  characters,  Science 
and  opinions.  Give  to  each  an  idenity  like  a  man  and  sep- 
arate one  from  the  other,  and  then  see  which  you  follow; 
for  you  must  follow  one,  you  cannot  serve  both  at  the  same 
time.  If  you  serve  Science,  you  are  in  your  wisdom  and  know 
it.  If  you  serve  opinion,  you  have  no  wisdom  but  your  life  is 
in  a  belief  that  can  be  destroyed.  So  you  will  live  all  your  life 
subject  to  bondage  through  fear  of  death.  But  if  you  have 
passed  through  death  or  opinion  to  the  life  of  Science  death 
will  have  no  power  over  you.  Disease  is  death  and  the  belief 
is  the  fear,  therefore  if  death  is  destroyed  the  fear  is  gone. 


TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  267 

It  becomes  us  then  to  search  into  the  causes  of  the  phenomenon 
called  disease  and  find  if  it  is  not  an  image  of  our  own  make. 
The  Jewish  people  were  making  all  sorts  of  false  beliefs  that 
tormented  them.  So  God  through  Moses  says,  ''Thou  shalt 
make  no  graven  images"  to  represent  any  false  idea  which 
they  had  been  taught,  nor  worship  any  superstition,  for  truth 
was  jealous  of  error.  It  always  condemns  our  error  and  re- 
wards our  scientific  acts.  Disease  was  conceived  in  priestcraft 
and  brought  forth  in  the  iniquity  of  the  medical  faculty.  The 
priest  prophesied  falsely  and  the  doctors  flourished  by  their 
lies,  and  the  people  love  to  have  it  so.  Then  the  question 
arises,  what  can  you  do  to  prevent  it?  I  say,  repent  all,  and 
be  baptized  in  the  Science  that  will  wash  away  your  sins  and 
diseases  with  your  belief.  Come  out  from  the  world  of 
opinion,  and  when  a  doctor  says  you  have  so  and  so,  make  him 
prove  it. 

OBSTACLES  IX  ESTABLISHING  A  NEW   SCIENCE 

The  great  obstacle  in  establishing  a  new  science  in  the  under- 
standing of  the  people  arises  from  their  ignorance.  Science 
always  has  had  to  contend  with  this  difficulty,  and  no  one  has 
as  yet  been  able  to  direct  the  mind  of  man  towards  the  true 
mode  of  reasoning  so  that  superstition  should  dissolve  before 
the  advancing  light  of  science ;  for  man  has  always  been  igno- 
rant of  himself,  and  his  errors  he  has  fastened  upon  others. 
There  are  two  modes  of  reasoning,  both  true  to  the  one  that  be- 
lieves them,  and  neither  anything  to  the  person  that  knows 
the  truth.  To  the  scientific  mind  a  superstition  about  any- 
thing that  science  has  explained  is  nothing.  But  to  the  un- 
scientific mind  it  may  be  a  truth.  ISTow  the  science  to  be  es- 
tablished is  based  on  truth  which  can  be  applied  to  a  false  mode 
of  reasoning  and  not  only  destroy  it  but  bring  about  a  more 
perfect  and  better  state  of  society,  and  sweep  away  the  lies  that 
like  the  locusts  of  Egypt  are  devouring  our  lives  and  happiness. 
This  cannot  be  done  by  any  philosophy  known  to  the  world,  for 
the  present  mode  of  reasoning  is  based  on  the  errors  the 
coming  science  is  to  destroy.  If  Satan  cast  out  satan,  then  his 
kingdom  is  divided  against  itself.  But  if  Wisdom  casts  out 
error,  true  Science  will  stand.  I  base  my  reasoning  on  a  stone 
which  the  builders  of  error  have  rejected. 

Every  idea  having  a  form  visible  to  the  world  of  matter, 
is  admitted  by  that  world  as  matter.  The  reasoning  which 
stands  on  this  basis  is  one  world,  and  scientific  knowledge  is 


268       TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

another.  Science  does  not  make  peace  with  the  world;  it 
makes  war.  It  seeks  not  to  save  the  life  of  error,  but  tx>  de- 
stroy it.  It  sets  ideas  at  variance  with  each  other,  the  father 
against  the  son.  It  sets  the  world  of  matter  in  motion,  that  it 
may  like  tlie  earth  be  prepared  to  receive  a  higher  cultivation. 
This  has  been  done  in  a  vast  number  of  cases.  But  in  the 
things  that  concern  man's  health  and  happiness  the  world  is  in 
Egyptian  darkness.  This  subject  never  has  been  sounded. 
The  cause  of  man's  misery  and  trouble  lies  in  our  false  reason- 
ing. It  always  has  and  it  always  will  be  so  till  man  is  con- 
vinced that  his  happiness  depends  on  his  wisdom,  and  his  mis- 
ery on  his  belief.  True,  he  may  be  happy  for  a  time  in  be- 
lieving a  lie,  but  that  is  like  a  man  finding  happiness  in  taking 
opium.  It  stupifies  him  so  he  is  not  sensible  of  his  trouble,  but 
it  really  increases  his  misery.  Mind  like  the  earth  is  under 
the  direction  of  a  higher  power,  which  is  subject  to  Wisdom. 
The  world  calls  it  God.  To  one  matter  is  nothing,  to  the 
other  it  is  everything.  To  science  it  is  an  unexplained  error. 
To  belief  it  is  a  real  living  substance.  I  am  now  speaking  of 
the  subject  of  health.  I  do  not  include  any  true  science.  But 
every  science  not  based  on  the  rock  I  have  mentioned  must 
crumble  if  that  rock  falls  on  it,  and  every  idea  that  is  rooted  in 
matter  and  bears  the  fruit  of  misery  must  be  hewn  down. 

Theories  are  like  trees  and  ideas  can  be  grafted  into  them, 
thereby  changing  the  whole  character  of  the  fruit.  Jesus 
engrafted  tliis  Truth  into  the  understanding  of  the  people  by 
means  of  parables.  Every  one  knows  that  ideas  can  be  sown 
in  the  mind  like  seed  in  the  ground,  and  that  they  will  grow 
and  bear  fruit.  The  causes  of  both  phenomena  are  unknown 
to  us,  but  to  the  world  above  matter  they  are  known.  To  Wis- 
dom these  facts  are  mere  ideas,  but  to  matter  they  are  solid 
truths. 

As  I  have  said,  everything  having  a  visible  form  is  matter, 
but  there  are  things  into  which  the  world  has  put  life  which 
bring  no  danger  to  man,  because  they  contain  no  knowledge. 
There  are  others  which  contain  misery,  such  as  the  ideas  of 
disease. 

According  to  the  world  there  is  such  a  disease  as  small-pox. 
With  God  or  Wisdom  this  must  be  truth  or  it  must  be  a  lie, 
or  belief  in  a  lie.  No  one  will  believe  that  Wisdom  can  have 
small-pox.  Therefore  its  foundation  must  be  in  this  world  and 
it  must  be  confined  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  world.     Wisdom 


TEE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES  269 

teaches  that  error  can  create  out  of  itself  another  error  the 
same  as  a  tree  can  bring  forth  another  tree,  and  that  mind  can 
generate  itself.  Wisdom  does  not  create  wisdom,  for  it  fills  all 
space  and  sheds  its  light  upon  the  world  of  matter,  thus  de- 
stroying the  things  of  darkness  and  bringing  to  light  things 
hidden. 

Small-pox  is  like  a  tree  whose  fruits  are  scattered  abroad 
infecting  those  who  eat  them.  It  is  a  superstitious  idea  and 
like  all  such  it  has  a  religious  cast.  It  deceived  the  world  so 
that  every  person  was  liable.  Therefore  the  idea  "kine-pox" 
was  sent  into  the  world  that  all  might  be  saved  or  vaccinated. 
As  many  as  received  tlie  virus  or  were  baptized  with  the  belief 
were  saved.  Here  is  introduced  another  world  which  is  de- 
liverance from  small-pox.  To  all  who  have  passed  from  their 
old  belief  into  the  world  of  vaccination  there  is  no  fear  of  death 
from  small-pox,  but  a  fear  lest  they  have  not  been  vaccinated 
with  genuine  virus.  Now  what  does  their  salvation  rest  upon  ? 
It  rests  on  no  principle  outside  the  mind.  In  ignorance  of 
causes  people  are  satisfied  with  some  one's  belief  that  there  is 
virtue  in  this  savior.  Thus  their  minds  are  quiet  and  the 
fruits  are  a  milder  disease,  if  the  graft  is  put  into  a  healthy 
tree  (or  child). 

This  will  apply  to  all  diseases.  Every  disease  is  the  in- 
vention of  man  and  has  no  identity  in  "Wisdom,  but  to  those 
who  believe  it  it  is  a  truth.  If  everything  he  does  not  under- 
stand were  blotted  out,  what  would  be  there  left  of  him? 
Would  he  be  better  or  worse,  if  nine-tenths  of  all  he  thinks  Re 
knows  were  blotted  out  of  his  mind,  and  he  existed  with  what 
was  true  ?  I  contend  that  he  would  as  it  were  sit  on  the  clouds 
and  see  the  world  beneath  him  tormented  with  ideas  that  form 
living  errors  whose  weight  is  ignorance.  Safe  from  their 
power,  he  would  not  return  to  the  world's  belief  for  any  con- 
sideration. In  a  slight  degree  this  is  my  case.  I  sit  as  it  were 
in  another  world  or  condition,  as  far  above  belief  in  disease  as 
the  heavens  are  above  the  earth.  Though  safe  myself,  I  grieve 
for  my  fellow  man,  and  I  am  reminded  of  the  words  of  Jesus 
when  He  beheld  the  misery  of  His  countrymen :  "0  Jeru- 
salem !  How  oft  would  I  gather  thee  as  a  lien  gathereth  her 
chickens,  and  ye  would  not."  I  hear  this  truth  now  pleading 
with  man,  to  listen  to  the  voice  of  reason. 

I  know  from  my  own  experience  with  the  sick  that  their 
troubles  are  the  effect  of  their  own  belief;  not  that  their  belief 


270       TEE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES 

is  the  trutli,  but  their  belief  acts  upon  their  minds,  bringing 
them  into  subjection  to  their  belief,  and  their  troubles  are  a 
chemical  change  that  follows. 

Small-pox  is  a  reality  to  all  mankind.  But  I  do  not 
include  myself,  because  I  stand  outside  where  I  can  see  things 
real  to  the  world  and  real  with  Wisdom.  I  know  that  I  can 
distinguish  a  lie  from  a  truth  in  religion,  or  in  disease.  To  me 
disease  is  always  a  lie,  but  to  those  who  believe  it  it  is  a  truth, 
and  religion  the  same.  Until  the  world  is  shaken  by  inves- 
tigation so  that  the  rocks  and  mountains  of  religious  error  are 
removed  and  the  medical  Babylon  destroyed,  sickness  and 
sorrow  will  prevail.  Feeling  as  I  do  and  seeing  so  many 
young  people  go  the  broad  road  to  destruction,  I  can  say  from 
the  bottom  of  my  soul,"Oh  priestcraft !  fill  up  the  measure  of 
your  cups  of  iniquity,  for  on  your  head  will  come  sooner  or 
later  the  sneers  and  taunts  of  the  people."  Your  theory  will 
be  overthrown  by  the  voice  of  Wisdom  that  will  rouse  the 
men  of  Science,  who  will  battle  your  error  and  drive  you 
utterly  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  Then  there  will  arise  a 
new  science,  followed  by  a  new  mode  of  reasoning,  which 
shall  teach  man  that  to  be  wise  is  to  unlearn  his  errors. 
Wisdom  cannot  learn,  but  it  can  destroy. 

The  introduction  of  Science  is  like  engrafting.  Every  graft 
does  not  live,  for  some  have  no  life  except  what  they  derive 
from  error.  When  you  believe  a  lie  in  the  form  of  some  dis- 
ease, and  the  doctor  comes,  he  does  not  engraft  into  your  wis- 
dom, but  into  your  belief.  Each  must  have  graft  of  its  kind. 
Small-pox  is  a  lie,  and  so  is  kine-pox.  It  is  the  offspring  of 
the  former,  and  the  senses  becoming  separated  from  the  one, 
ding  to  the  other.  Wisdom  shows  that  they  are  both  false, 
and  that  they  are  the  inventions  of  superstition.  Thus  the 
world  is  vaccinated  from  one  lie  into  another,  and  this  is  called 
progress.  But  the  time  must  come  when  this  false  mode  of 
reasoning  shall  give  way  to  a  higher  wisdom  by  which  all  things 
are  proved. 

I  tell  you  a  lie  which  you  believe  and  an  effect  follows :  this 
does  not  prove  that  I  told  the  truth  because  the  effect  is  seen. 
For  instance,  I  tell  you  that  3'ou  have  small-pox.  This  shocks 
you  and  you  are  really  frightened.  A  phenomenon  attends 
or  follows  the  fright.  The  physicians  are  consulted  and  they 
pronounce  the  disease  small-pox.  To  you  and  to  the  world  this 
is  proof  that  it  is  small-pox.  But  to  me  it  is  only  proof  that 
you  believed  a  lie. 


THE  WORLD  OF  THE  8EN8E8  271 

Now  the  question  to  settle  is  this,  can  a  lie  act  upon 
a  person  who  believes  it  so  as  to  make  him  sick?  No 
one  will  deny  that  statement  I  think.  Nothing  then  produces 
something,  unless  a  lie  is  something,  and  if  it  is  where  does  it 
start  from  ?  To  me  the  lie  and  the  effect  are  both  nothing.  So 
when  I  sit  by  a  sick  person  I  come  in  contact  with  what  they 
call  "something."  This  something  frightens  them,  and 
another  "something"  is  produced  which  they  express  by  aches 
and  pains,  and  other  bad  feelings.  All  these  they  think  come 
from  what  they  call  disease.  To  me  this  something  that  they 
call  disease  is  a  lie  which  they  believe,  and  their  aches  and 
pains  are  the  expressions  of  their  fears,  and  are  like  moans  of 
a  criminal  sentenced  to  be  hung  or  shot.  Now  comes  the 
process  of  vaccination,  or  conversion,  which  is  getting  them  out 
of  one  lie  into  another.  The  doctor  introduces  his  opinion  like 
virus  which  being  received  into  the  mind,  a  change  is  produced, 
and  if  his  arguments  are  heeded,  a  milder  disease  is  brought 
forth  in  the  new  graft,  and  finally  the  person  is  carried  to 
that  state  of  mind  called  "safe."  The  priest  goes  through  the 
same  process.  First  he  affirms  his  belief  till  the  people  be- 
come alarmed.  He  then  introduces  his  opinion  as  a  means 
of  safety,  and  when  this  is  received  the  mind  is  quieted,  and 
this  is  conversion.  The  world  has  been  humbugged  by  these 
two  classes  till  the  sick  are  tired  of  life;  their  substance  is 
devoured;  their  fields  of  happiness  are  laid  waste,  and  every 
kind  of  enjoyment  destroyed.  While  the  people  are  in  this 
state,  another  swarm  of  locusts  come  upon  them  to  get  what 
is  left.  These  are  the  political  demagogues,  the  second 
growth  that  always  springs  up  after  the  others  get  the  mind 
troubled  and  ready  to  be  affected.  These  parties  are  the 
scourges  that  pursue  society  as  it  passes  through  the  wilder- 
ness of  error  to  the  land  of  happiness  and  science.  This  jour- 
ney that  science  has  been  traveling  is  dotted  with  little  opin- 
ions where  Wisdom  has  cleared  up  the  wilderness  and  burned 
up  the  error.  Wisdom  never  stops ;  it  continues,  and  has  now 
reached  the  wilderness  of  disease,  and  every  tree  that  brings 
not  forth  good  fruit  will  be  hewn  down  by  the  axe  of  Science 
and  burned  up  by  the  fire  of  Truth. 

MIND  AND   DISEASE 

I  have  often  spoken  of  the  word  mind  as  something  which 
I  call  matter.  I  use  this  term  from  the  fact  that  man  can- 
not conceive  of  wisdom  except  as  attached  to  matter,  although 


272       THE  WORLD  OF  THE  SENSES 

every  one  makes  a  difference  between  them.  We  alwa3's  speak 
of  mind  as  different  from  matter,  one  is  something  and  the 
other  is  apparently  nothing,  or  it  is  like  velocity  which  seems 
to  be  the  result  of  motion.  There  is  another  element  called 
reason  (like  friction)  which  sees  the  effect,  but  being  ignorant 
of  the  cause,  puts  weight  and  velocity  together  and  calls  them 
one.  We  are  all  taught  to  believe  that  mind  is  wisdom  and 
here  is  the  trouble,  for  if  mind  is  wipdom  then  Wisdom  cannot 
be  relied  on,  for  all  will  admit  that  the  mind  changes.  Jesus 
separates  the  two  by  calling  one  the  wisdom  of  this  world  and 
the  other  the  wisdom  of  God.  If  we  understand  what  He 
meant  by  "this  world"  we  can  follow  Him. 

I  have  spoken  of  that  element  in  man  called  reason.  This 
is  a  low  intellect  a  little  above  the  brute  which  is  the  link  be- 
tween God  and  mind,  and  the  same  that  is  called  by  Jesus  the 
wisdom  of  the  world,  for  this  world  is  another  name  for 
spiritual  matter.  Now  mind  is  the  spiritual  earth  which  re- 
ceives the  seed  of  Wisdom,  and  also  the  seeds  of  the  wisdom 
of  this  world  of  reason.  Disease  is  the  fruit  of  the  latter, 
and  the  application  of  the  wisdom  of  God  or  Science  is  the 
clearing  away  the  foul  rub])ish  that  springs  up  in  the  soil 
or  mind.  This  rubbish  is  the  false  ideas  sown  in  the  mind  by 
blind  guides,  who  cry  peace  when  there  is  no  peace.  Their 
wisdom  is  of  this  world  that  must  come  to  an  end,  when  the 
fire  of  Truth  shall  run  through  this  world  of  error  and  burn 
up  the  stubble  and  the  plough  of  Science,  guided  by  the  wis- 
dom of  God  and  pressed  forward  by  the  power  of  eternal 
truth,  shall  root  out  of  the  mind  or  matter  every  root  and 
stubble.  Then  error  can  find  no  place  to  take  root  in  the  soil. 
Then  minds  like  a  rich  cultivated  vineyard  shall  bring  forth 
that  which  shall  be  sweet  to  the  taste  and  pleasing  to  the  eye. 
Then  man  can  see  and  judge  of  the  tree  for  himself,  whether 
its  fruits  are  those  of  error  and  opinions  or  of  Science. 

DO    WE    KNOW   ALL   WE   WRITE   OR   SAY? 

It  is  a  common  remark  that  if  Jesus  should  appear  on  earth 
and  could  hear  the  explanations  given  to  the  remarks  which 
he  made  eighteen  hundred  years  ago.  He  never  would  imagine 
that  He  was  in  any  way  alluded  to.  This  may  be  true.  Jesus 
was  as  any  other  man,  but  Christ  was  the  Science  which  Jesus 
tried  to  teach.  There  never  was  and  never  can  be  a  man  who 
can  express  his  thoughts  without  being  governed  more  or  less 


THE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES  273 

by  the  scientific  man  or  Christ,  and  the  masses  will  receive  the 
idea  as  they  receive  food,  and  will  pass  judgment  according  to 
their  taste.  Different  opinions  will  arise,  from  the  fact  that 
often  the  writer  is  as  ignorant  of  the  true  meaning  of  his 
ideas  as  his  readers  are,  not  that  he  does  not  know  what  he 
says,  but  there  is  in  each  person  a  hidden  meaning  or  truth 
that  he  as  a  man  does  not  know.  When  one  reads  or  hears 
anything  it  awakens  in  him  some  new  idea  which  perchance 
the  author  never  thought  of,  yet  the  author  feels  as  though 
he  had  a  similar  idea  of  its  meaning.  It  is  the  Christ  in  us 
making  itself  known  through  the  senses,  and  as  the  senses  are 
the  only  medium  the  world  acknowledges,  Wisdom  uses  them 
to  destroy  the  darkness  which  prevents  us  from  knowing  our- 
selves. 

Thus  it  is  when  we  read  the  works  of  the  old  authors.  They 
have  been  misrepresented,  from  the  fact  that  the  readers' 
minds  have  been  so  dull  that  there  was  not  sufficient  light  to 
penetrate  through :  so  the  dark  explanations  which  are  given 
become  true  ones  till  the  world  becomes  educated  up  to 
a  higher  point  where  it  shall  see  that  truths  may  have  been 
conveyed  in  the  writings  which  the  author  himself  had  no 
idea  of.  Every  person  is  more  or  less  clairvoyant  [intuitive], 
and  is  in  two  states  of  mind  at  the  same  time,  and  when  any 
one  writes  he  is  not  aware  that  he  is  dictated  [guided]  by  a 
Wisdom  that  he  thought  his  natural  senses  does  not  know. 

On  this  principle  rogues  bring  their  evil  deeds  to  light. 
Their  crimes  excite  the  mind  and  expose  evils  to  view,  for 
by  their  efforts  to  conceal  their  crimes  they  betray  them  to 
others  by  looks,  acts,  or  words.  This  is  as  it  should  be  and 
the  better  it  is  understood  the  more  it  will  bring  about  the 
desired  effect. 

Every  act  or  thought  contains  the  higher  science.  The 
natural  man  calls  it  reaction,  but  it  is  wisdom.  If  you  put 
sufficient  wisdom  in  an  act  you  will  see  what  the  reaction  will 
be.  You  can  hardly  suppose  a  person  so  ignorant  as  not  to 
know  that  when  a  stone  is  thrown  into  the  air,  it  will  come 
down  again.  If  you  put  the  wisdom  in  the  stone,  the  stone 
would  not  know  what  the  reaction  would  be,  but  if  you  put 
sufficient  wisdom  in  the  act  that  makes  the  stone  go  up,  that 
wisdom  will  know  the  stone  will  come  down  again  with 
the  same  force  that  it  went  up.  Man's  body  is  just  as  ignorant 
as  a  stone,  but  there  are  two  motions  which  act  upon  it,  one 
ignorance  and  the  other  science. 


274       TEE  WORLD  OF  TEE  SENSES 

In  all  the  crimes  which  man  commits  the  act  embraces 
the  intelligence,  that  is,  the  reaction  which  will  follow  sooner 
or  later,  I'or  every  act  of  man's  must  come  to  light.  So  the 
person  who  commits  a  crime  leaves  the  evidence  against  him 
just  as  plainly  as  the  thief  who  steals  in  open  daylight.  The 
sick  expose  their  idea  of  disease,  and  I  know  by  my  feelings 
what  they  know  by  their  senses.  ^  The  more  they  try  to  con- 
ceal the  fact,  the  more  they  expose  it.  Now  the  reason  of  this 
is  that  disease  is  a  disgrace,  although  people  try  to  make  it 
fashionable;  but  they  show  they  do  not  believe  it  so  from  the 
fact  that  they  try  to  rid  themselves  of  it,  as  they  would  any 
bad  habit. 

Every  person  has  acquaintances  whom  they  would  like  to 
get  rid  of,  yet  will  put  up  with  their  company  rather  than 
cause  them  to  feel  badly.  So  with  those  who  use  tobacco,  you 
will  hear  them  say,  "I  know  it  hurts  me  and  I  wish  I  could 
leave  off  the  habit,  but  I  cannot."  Their  wisdom  is  not  equal 
to  what  it  should  be  or  they  would  leave  their  "friend," 
as  they  call  it,  or  their  enemy  in  disguise.  Now  if  their  wis- 
dom could  destroy  a  little  of  the  milk  of  human  kindness, 
which  they  drink  for  the  traitor  who  has  no  respect  for  their 
happiness  except  to  gratify  their  desire,  they  would  cut  off 
their  acquaintance  as  they  would  drop  from  their  lips  a  cup  of 
poison  prepared  for  them  by  the  hand  of  a  pretended  friend, 
and  their  sympathy  would  soon  cease. 

1  That  is,  by  an  intuition  which  embraces  Science. 


XVI 

DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

[Dr.  Quimby  is  so  greatly  interested  in  calling  attention 
to  the  power  of  human  beliefs  in  relation  to  all  man's 
troubles  that  he  does  not  give  much  space  to  a  description  of 
the  natural  world,  does  not  state  his  idea  of  matter  very 
definitely,  and  often  leaves  the  reader  wondering  how  he 
distinguishes  between  matter  and  "spiritual  matter"  or  the 
mind  of  opinions.  He  is  especially  interested  to  point  out  that 
matter  can  be  "condensed  into  a  solid  by  mind  action,"  that 
it  undergoes  a  "chemical  change"  as  a  result  of  mental 
changes.  He  sometimes  speaks  of  it  as  an  "error"  or  shadow, 
as  "an  idea  seen  or  not,  just  as  it  is  called  out."  Whatever 
its  objective  reality  in  the  Divine  purpose,  matter  in  itself  is 
inanimate,  there  ds  no  intelligence  in  it.  His  view  of 
matter  is  idealistic,  therefore,  and  in  considering  his  theory  of 
disease  and  its  cure  we  need  to  bear  in  mind  that  matter  for 
him  is  plastic  to  thought.  The  ordinary  or  external  mind 
which  is  "spiritual  matter"  is  the  intermediate  term.  Above 
this  mind  is  the  real  man  with  his  spiritual  senses,  his  clair- 
voyant and  intuitive  powers.  The  final  term  is  Wisdom, 
making  known  its  truths  in  so  far  as  there  is  responsiveness 
and  intelligence  on  man's  part.  This  is  said  to  possess  a  real 
"identity."  To  find  himself  as  an  "identity"  in  every  truth, 
man  should  know  himself  as  the  "scientific  man,"  able 
through  Wisdom's  help  to  banish  all  errors  from  the  world.] 

THE  RECEPTION  OF  THIS  GREAT  TRUTH 

I  BELIEVE  now  that  the  time  has  nearly  arrived  when  the 
people  will  be  prepared  to  receive  a  great  truth  that  will 
give  an  impulse  and  set  them  investigating  a  subject  which 
will  open  to  their  minds  new  and  enlarged  ideas  of  themselves 
and  show  man  what  he  is  and  how  he  makes  himself  what  he 
is.  It  has  been  said  that  to  know  himself  is  the  greatest  study 
of  man,  but  I  say  that  for  man  to  know  his  error  is  greater 
than  to  know  himself;  for  everv  person  is  to  himself  just  what 

'275 


276  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

he  think  he  is,  but  to  know  his  error  ^  is  what  ought  to  be  his 
greatest  stray.  For  the  last  twenty-five  years  ^  I  have  been 
trying  to  find  out  what  man  is  and  at  last  have  come  to  know 
what  he  is  not.  To  know  that  you  exist  is  nothing,  but  to 
know  what  disturbs  you  is  of  great  value  to  every  person.  The 
world  has  boon  developing  itself,  and  we  look  on  and  never 
think  it  is  ourselves.  Through  ignorance  of  Wisdom  we  have 
made  a  man  of  straw  and  given  him  life,  intellect  and  a  head 
in  the  image  of  our  own  creation.  To  this  image  we  have 
given  the  idea  "man"  with  certain  capacities  such  as  life  and 
death,  and  have  made  him  subject  to  evils  such  as  disease.  To 
the  man  of  straw  the  words  I  have  quoted  are  applied.  This 
man  of  straw  has  been  trying  to  find  himself  out  and  in  doing 
this  has  nearly  destroyed  or  blotted  out  his  real  existence.  So 
in  looking  for  man  I  found  it  was  like  the  old  lady  looking  for 
her  comb  and  finding  it  in  her  hair.  I  found  I  was  the  very 
idea  I  was  looking  for.  Then  I  knew  myself  and  found  that 
what  we  call  man  is  not  man  but  a  shadow  of  error. 

Wisdom  is  the  true  man  and  error  the  counterfeit.  When 
Wisdom  governs  matter  all  goes  well,  but  when  error  directs 
all  goes  wrong.  So  I  shall  assume  the  old  mode  of  calling 
man  as  he  is  called  and  make  myself  a  principle  outside  of 
man,  just  as  man  makes  all  "laws  of  God,"  as  he  calls  them 
outside  of  himself.  So  man  admits  he  is  not  with  God  or  a 
part  of  Him.  Therefore  he  belongs  to  this  world  and  expects 
to  die  and  go  to  his  God.  So  he  lives  all  his  life  in  bondage 
through  fear  of  death.  Now,  this  keeps  him  sick  and  to  avoid 
all  these  fears  and  troubles  that  disturb  bis  mind  and  make 
him  sick  he  invents  all  sorts  of  false  ideas  and  never  thinks 
they  are  the  cause  of  his  misery.  He  invents  all  sorts  of 
disease  to  torment  himself.  Standing  outside  of  these  ideas* 
I  know  that  they  are  the  works  of  man ;  that  God  or  wisdom 
has  never  made  anything  to  torment  mankind.  Error  has 
created  its  own  misery. 

Having  had  twenty-five  years  of  practice  I  have  seen  the 
working  of  this  evil  on  mankind,  how  it  has  grown  till  it  is 
increasing  and  at  the  present  time  there  is  more  misery  from 
disease  than  all  other  evils  put  together,  and  every  effort  to 
arrest  this  evil  only  makes  it  worse.     Within  the  last  seven 

1  That  is,  his  bondage  to  opinion,  his  mistaken  view  of  his  body 
and  its  supposed  tendencies  to  disease. 

2  This  was  written  in  1865. 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  277 

years  I  have  sat  with  more  than  twelve  thousand  different 
persons  and  have  taken  their  feelings  and  know  what  they  be- 
lieve their  diseases  were  and  how  each  person  was  affected, 
but  I  knew  the  causes.  Therefore  I  know  what  I  say  is  true : 
that  if  there  had  never  been  a  physician  in  the  world  there 
would  not  have  been  one-tenth  of  the  suffering.  It  is  also 
true  that  religious  creeds  have  made  a  very  large  class  of 
persons  miserable,  but  religion  like  all  creeds  based  on  super- 
stition must  give  way  to  Science.  So  ^perstition  in  regard 
to  religion  will  die  out  as  men  grow  wise,  for  wisdom  is  all 
the  religion  that  can  stand  and  this  is  to  know  ourselves 
not  as  man  but  as  a  part  of  Wisdom.  But  disease  is  making 
havoc  among  all  classes,  and  it  seems  as  though  there  would 
never  be  an  end  of  it  unless  some  one  should  step  in  and 
check  this  greatest  of  evils. 

I  have  been  in  the  habit  of  sitting  with  patients  separ- 
ately and  explaining  the  disease  and  the  cure  till  I  have  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  I  can  cure  persons  that  are  sick  if  I 
am  in  their  company,  and  the  number  only  helps  to  hasten 
the  cure.  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  can  go  to  an  audience  of 
one  thousand  persons  and  cure  more  persons  in  one  lecture 
than  can  be  cured  by  all  the  doctors  in  the  state  of  Maine  in 
the  same  time,  for  I  know  that  one-half  my  patients  I  do  not 
see  as  long  as  to  explain  what  I  should  make  clear  in  one  lec- 
ture of  two  hou  rs.  There  are  a  great  number  of  sick  who  are 
not  able  to  be  cured ;  for  man's  life  and  happiness  in  this 
enlightened  world  (made  so  by  the  profession)  has  made 
dollars  and  cents  the  test,  so  if  a  man  has  not  these  he  must 
suffer.  So  my  object  is  to  relieve  man  of  some  of  his  suffer- 
ings. I  am  sent  for  to  go  to  different  parts  of  the  country 
and  have  always  found  a  large  class  of  poor  sick  persons 
not  ready  to  be  cured.  I  want  to  relieve  those  who  are  not 
able  to  be  cured,  and  also  give  directions  to  minds  so  that 
this  wisdom  shall  govern  man.  It  is  necessary  to  say  that  I 
have  no  religious  belief.  My  religion  is  my  life,  and  my 
life  is  the  light  of  any  wisdom  that  I  have.  So  that  my  light 
is  my  eye,  and  if  my  eye  is  the  eye  of  Truth  my  body  is  light, 
but  if  my  eye  or  wisdom  is  an  opinion  my  body  is  full  of 
darkness. 

CONCERNING   BELIEFS 

It  may  be  necessary  to  explain  what  calls  out  my  argu- 
ments.    All  that  1  write  is  intended  to  destroy  some  belief  of 


278  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

the  patient.  A  belief  is  what  I  call  a  disease,  for  that  em- 
braces the  cause  and  it  sets  the  people  to  reasoning  until  their 
systems  are  prepared  like  the  earth  to  receive  the  idea, 
and  when  the  phenomenon  is  brought  forth  the  doctors  call 
tliat  disease.  Belief  in  an  idea  that  cannot  be  seen  by  the 
natural  eye  is  as  real  as  belief  in  the  natural  world.  Every- 
thing that  docs  not  come  within  the  natural  senses  is  a  belief. 
Disease  is  of  this  class.  The  phenomenon  is  admitted  and  to 
malce  man  believe  it  involves  a  notion  that  it  exists.  It  does 
not  follow  that  he  is  diseased  any  more  than  it  follows  tliat  a 
man  is  in  the  war  because  he  believes  there  is  one.  Yet  he  may 
be  liable  to  be  caught.  War  like  some  diseases  has  its  ex- 
empts. For  instance,  small-pox.  A  man  can  procure  a 
certificate  from  a  physician  that  he  has  had  it  or  has  been  vac- 
cinated. So  the  belief  makes  the  thing  to  the  person  believing 
it  and  as  the  belief  becomes  general  every  person  is  affected 
more  or  less.  Children  are  not  exempts,  they  suffer  if  they  are 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  disease,  for  their  parents'  sins.  Their 
diseases  are  the  effect  of  the  community.  These  results 
come  from  the  older  inhabitants  who  embody  the  superstitions 
of  the  world,  and  they  are  as  tenacious  of  their  beliefs. 

See  how  the  South  fights  for  slavery  under  the  belief  that 
it  is  a  living  institution.^  The  people  believe  the  same  of 
disease  and  each  one  will  fight  for  his  peculiar  disease  till 
truth  exterminates  both.  One  is  as  dangerous  as  the  other 
and  each  has  its  sympathizers  and  traitors.  Take  a  person 
sick  under  the  law  of  disease  which  he  knows  will  kill  him 
if  the  law  is  put  in  force.  People  are  as  anxious  to  con- 
demn themselves  by  insisting  that  they  have  a  certain  disease 
as  a  rebel  is  to  swear  that  a  Yankee  is  an  abolitionist:  each 
is  working  to  have  the  victim  condemned.  Both  may  be 
summed  up  as  the  effect  of  man's  belief. 

Eeligious  sects  fight  for  their  various  beliefs  which  con- 
tain not  a  word  of  truth  and  the  world  has  to  suffer  the  con- 
sequences. The  medical  faculty,  spiritualists,  and  every  class 
who  have  wit  enough  to  have  a  belief,  keep  up  a  warfare  to 
keep  their  beliefs  alive  that  they  may  obtain  a  living.  But 
when  these  are  cut  by  truth  they  wither  and  die  out  and  from 
the  ashes  comes  freedom  or  Science.  War  is  always  en- 
gendered by  beliefs.  Slavery  is  the  only  name  for  all  evils 
that  have  affected  man,  of  which  disease  is  one.     They  all 

1   This  was  written,  Dec.  1862. 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  279 

have  to  pass  through  a  sea  of  blood  before  their  heads  can 
be  crushed  and  they  can  be  handled  by  reason.  Religious 
opinions  waded  through  blood  before  reason  could  control  the 
mind,  and  then  the  warfare  was  carried  on  by  words.  Uni- 
versal freedom  has  not  yet  gone  through  the  sea  of  blood, 
but  it  is  now  in  the  storm  and  God  only  knows  how  it  will 
come  out.  The  belief  which  makes  man  bind  his  fellow  man 
is  very  strong,  for  it  appeals  to  religious  prejudices,  and 
these  are  really  at  the  bottom  of  many  evils.  The  natural 
man  believes  slavery  is  right  and  he  is  religious  in  this  belief, 
although  in  everything  else  he  is  governed  by  party-interest. 
Every  sick  person  is  suffering  either  directly  or  indirectly 
from  the  effect  of  some  belief,  therefore  my  arguments  are 
to  show  the  absurdity  of  the  beliefs  whatever  they  are,  for 
beliefs  are  catching.  The  child  is  affected  by  its  parents' 
belief,  which  is  as  real  an  enemy  to  health  as  slavery  is  to 
freedom.  Science  is  the  true  man,  belief  is  the  enemy  of 
happiness,  for  every  one  knows  that  a  man  will  die  before 
he  will  give  up  his  belief.  So  when  a  person  has  a  belief  in 
any  particular  disease,  he  will  not  give  it  up  until  it  destroys 
the  body,  although  he  knows  that  fighting  is  his  own  des- 
truction. 

When  I  sit  by  the  sick  I  find  them  either  like  a  child  or 
a  person  in  a  belief.  If  they  have  no  ideas  that  come  within 
their  senses  they  are  like  one  affected  by  surrounding  circum- 
stances, as  a  child  whose  parents  are  fighting  is  frightened 
and  perhaps  killed  by  the  parents'  evil  acts.  When  I  have 
a  patient  who  is  frightened  by  some  feeling  in  the  system 
which  has  not  been  named,  the  patient  is  like  a  spectator  in 
a  riot  who  finds  himself  attacked  and  violently  abused  when 
he  has  been  quiet  all  the  time.  I  have  to  reason  with  such 
persons  and  convince  them  of  their  error,  and  as  they  learn 
the  truth  they  are  safe.  I  take  the  same  course  with  such 
as  I  should  with  a  stranger  who  has  been  attacked 
by  a  mob.  I  enter  the  crowd,  take  the  man  by  the  shoulders 
lead  him  out  and  befriend  him  till  he  is  safe. 

A  belief  in  a  disease  is  like  a  belief  in  any  other  evil,  but 
there  are  those  who  putting  entire  confidence  in  the  leaders 
accept  certain  beliefs.  Such  are  honest  and  are  the  hardest 
patients  to  cure,  for  they  attach  a  religious  respect  to  their 
beliefs  which  are  their  very  life.  They  often  say  they  would 
rather  die  than  lose  their  belief. 


280  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

A  belief  going  to  establish  any  religion  is  held  on  to  as  a 
child  holds  to  its  mother  when  afraid  of  strangers.  I 
frequently  have  a  hard  battle  with  such  where  their  beliefs 
make  them  sick  before  they  will  relax.  They  will  some- 
times weep  and  lament  as  though  I  were  really  going  to  take 
their  life.  As  I  have  no  belief  to  give  them  I  try  to  show 
the  absurdity  of  their  errors.  It  will  be  seen  that  in  all  I 
write  my  reasoning  is  to  destroy  some  belief  that  my  patient 
has.  Eheumatism  or  the  state  of  mind  affecting  people  in 
that  way  is  caused  by  various  beliefs.  Their  minds  as  I  hav^ 
said  are  deceived  into  bad  company  and  they  have  to  suffer 
the  consequences  of  their  acts,  although  their  intentions  may 
have  been   good. 

I  will  state  a  case.  A  man  uses  tobacco  freely,  both  chews 
and  smokes.  His  wife  being  of  a  sympathetic  nature  enters 
into  his  error  to  try  to  reform  him.  This  brings  her  into 
the  same  company  that  he  is  in.  She  is  regarded  as  bad  as 
her  husband,  she  is  beaten  until  blood  starts  out  on  her 
elbows,  shoulders,  and  limbs,  and  her  hands  become  swollen 
and  sore  so  that  she  cannot  work.  Meantime  her  husband 
appears  as  well  as  ever.  This  is  taking  a  disease  from  sym- 
pathy and  it  shows  that  such  evils  are  catching  in  the  world. 
To  such  I  stand  in  this  way.  I  take  the  symptoms  and  know 
who  is  the  devil.  I  expose  him,  and  when  I  make  the  pa- 
tient know  him,  the  devil  leaves,  the  error  is  cast  out,  the 
belief  leaves  and  the  patient  is  cured.  This  is  a  process  of 
reasoning  from  cause  to  effect,  not  from  effect  to  effect. 
The  world  reasons  to  make  one  disease  in  order  to  cure 
another.  I  destroy  the  disease  by  showing  the  error  and 
showing  how  the  error  effects  the  patients.  This  was  what 
Jesus  tried  to  prove,  so  all  His  acts  and  talk  went  to  prove 
the  truth  of  what  I  have  said.  Make  man  responsible  for 
his  beliefs  and  he  will  be  as  cautious  what  he  believes  as  he 
is  in  what  he  sees  or  does,  for  he  will  see  that  just  as  he 
measures  out  to  another  so  it  will  be  measured  out  to  him. 
But  does  the  clergy  follow  out  this  rule?  Do  they  not  dic- 
tate to  their  audience  what  to  believe  and  what  not  to  believe, 
without  the  least  regard  to  their  health?  Now,  to  suppose 
a  man  can  believe  one  thing  and  still  have  a  contrary  effect 
is  not  true.  If  you  make  a  person  believe  that  he  is  in  dan- 
ger of  any  trouble  he  will  be  affected  according  to  his  belief. 
So  all  beliefs  are  to  be  analyzed  like  food  or  drink  to  see 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  281 

what  it  contains  and  see  how  it  acts  upon  the  body,  for  the 
belief  being  in  the  mind  it  shows  itself  on  the  body.  So 
when  Jesus  talked  He  had  some  object  to  obtain  for  the 
happiness  of  man.  But  to  suppose  Jesus  came  from  heaven 
to  destroy  one  error  and  establish  another  is  to  suppose  that 
our  beliefs  alter  the  wisdom  of  God  or  make  a  man  believe 
what  he  cannot  understand  to  insure  his  happiness  in  a  world 
that  is  based  on  belief.  Now,  I  understand  Jesus ;  I  under- 
stand Him  to  condemn  all  beliefs  and  show  that  man  is  better 
off  without  a  belief  than  with  one. 

What  good  is  it  to  me  whether  I  believe  one  thing  or  an- 
other if  my  belief  does  not  affect  my  life?  If  my  belief 
affects  my  life  I  get  the  benefit  or  misery  of  my  belief,  but  it 
does  not  alter  the  wisdom  of  God  or  alter  any  of  His  plans. 
So  if  there  is  a  world  beyond  this  my  belief  cannot  change 
it;  my  belief  may  change  me.  So  if  Jesus  had  no  higher 
motive  than  merely  introducing  a  belief  He  was  like  all  others 
who  wanted  to  establish  peculiar  views.  But  Jesus  never 
meant  to  speak  of  what  we  call  death.  His  death  was  the  end 
of  sin  or  error.  To  lose  opinions  and  find  His  truth  was  life, 
not  death.  The  "Wisdom  that  taught  this  did  not  embrace 
the  words  "life"  and  "death." 

WORKS    THE    FRUIT   OF   OUR  BELIEF 

What  proof  can  be  brought  to  show  that  a  man  is  just 
what  he  thinks  he  is?  My  answer  is:  his  works.  Man 
is  known  by  his  works,  for  they  are  the  fruit  of  belief 
and  where  there  is  no  fruit  there  is  no  belief,  in  that  case 
man  is  either  perfectly  ignorant  or  perfectly  wise,  and  stops 
work  because  he  is  God  and  God  has  finished  His  work.  Now 
man  is  not  supposed  to  be  either  of  the  two,  God  or  an  idiot. 
So  he  must  be  a  being  between  both.  That  makes  him 
a  man  of  opinions  and  beliefs.  To  show  whether  the  works  are 
of  God  or  error  is  the  great  aim  of  man.  Both  cannot  be  of 
God,  for  one  reasons  from  what  he  believes  and  the  other  from 
what  ho  knows. 

I  will  introduce  a  man  of  error  who  bases  his  knowledge 
on  others'  belief,  still  thinking  he  has  an  opinion  of  his  own. 
The  effect  of  his  wisdom  or  belief  is  seen  by  its  fruits.  The 
younger  son  is  he  who  listens  to  the  wisdom  of  his  brother 
and  sees  him  contradict  himself  and  shows  him  his  absurdity. 
This  is  the  scientific  man  and  he  is  not  known,  for  when  the 


282  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

man  of  opinions  is  destroyed  by  the  scientific  man  he  is  not 
seen  at  all.  Take  two  persons  talking  about  mesmerism; 
one  never  hoard  anything,  the  other  is  posted  in  all  things  per- 
taining to  the  law  of  mesmerism.  Let  A.  he  the  wise  man 
and  B.  the  ignorant  man.  A.  sits  down  and  expounds  the 
principles  of  mesmerism.  He  reads  from  those  who  have 
written  on  the  subject,  how  a  man  sits  down,  takes  hold  of 
another's  hand,  looks  him  in  the  eye,  and  at  length  the  man 
is  affected  ;  his  eyes  close  and  he  goes  to  sleep.  Then  B.  asks 
how  this  is  done.     Here  comes  the  mystery  or  "Science"  of  A. 

Finally  it  enters  the  head  of  A.  to  go  to  the  world  of 
spirits.  Here  is  a  large  field  for  operation.  C.  finds  the 
dead  and  explains  about  them  to  A.  and  B.  By  this  time 
they  have  become  so  wise  that  their  light  has  lit  up  the  whole 
world  of  spirits,  so  that  everything  is  perfectly  plain.  This 
is  as  far  as  they  can  go.  The  whole  world  stops  here  and  here 
ends  mesmerism  according  to  the  world's  belief.  At  last 
there  comes  a  report  that  spirits  made  their  appearance  at 
Rochester,  and  raps  and  table  tipping  take  place.  Then  B. 
asks  A.  how  he  explains  these  things.  A.  "It  is  by  the  pres- 
ence of  electricity.^'  B.  "I  cannot  believe  that,  I  want  to 
see  something  of  it."  So  they  go  to  a  medium  and  every- 
thing goes  to  prove  the  belief  of  the  medium  that  it  is  spirits. 
One  rap  means  "yes"  and  two  means  "no,"  and  these  prove 
the  spirits.  B.  asks  A.  what  he  thinks  of  that.  A.  says 
"It  is  a  development  of  animal  magnetism."  B.  says  "No, 
I  believe  it  must  be  spirits."  Here  is  a  difference  of  opin- 
ion. B.  is  as  well  posted  as  A.  The  medium  agrees  with  C. 
B.  believed  A.  till  A.  showed  his  ignorance,  then  B.  embraced 
the  opinion  of  the  medium.  So  it  goes  on.  One  opinion 
is  believed  till  some  other  opinion  comes  up  that  cannot  be 
explained,  then  some  one  states  an  opinion  and  the  multitude 
follow. 

Like  the  rest  of  the  world  I  began  with  no  belief  or  opinion. 
Like  a  child  I  wanted  to  see.  As  B.  did,  I  asked  A's  ex- 
planation and  took  it,  then  I  went  to  work  to  prove  it  and  did 
prove  beyond  a  doubt  according  to  my  belief  that  it  was 
governed  by  electricity.  At  last  I  ran  against  a  stumbling 
block  which  upset  all  my  theory  and  left  me  without  anything 
but  the  bare  experiments.  I  then  went  to  work  to  prove  my 
belief,  and  the  experiments  proved  anything  I  believed,  and 
I  concluded  that  man  is  just  what  he  thinks  he  is  to  himself. 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  283 

I  have  waded  through  the  mire  of  ignorance,  crossed  the 
ruin  of  superstition,  have  walked  on  the  water  of  my  belief 
and  at  last  landed  on  the  shores  of  Wisdom,  where  I  have 
found  the  other  branch  of  truth  that  tells  me  that  the  water 
or  error  had  dried  up  so  that  the  dry  land  of  reason  is  ready 
to  receive  the  seed  of  Wisdom  into  the  earth,  or  mind  of  man. 
As  I  have  passed  through  the  fire  of  superstition  and  been 
baptized  in  the  water  of  error  and  belief,  I  have  come  up 
out  of  the  water  and  the  heavens  or  Wisdom  are  open  to  me 
and  I  see  Wisdom  in  the  form  of  a  dove  or  sympathy  saying 
tx)  every  one:  ''Behold,  the  truth  hath  prevailed  to  open  the 
book  of  superstition ;  it  hath  broken  the  seal  and  introduced 
a  new  form  of  reasoning." 

I  have  no  belief  in  regard  to  religion  of  any  kind,  neither 
have  I  any  belief  in  another  world  of  any  kind.  ^  I  have  no 
belief  in  what  is  called  death.  In  fact  I  am  a  total  dis- 
believer in  any  wisdom  that  ever  taught  any  religion  outside 
of  man's  belief.  Then  you  may  ask  what  kind  of  a  man  are 
you  without  a  belief?  I  have  a  belief  like  all  men  but  it 
does  not  apply  to  what  I  have  been  talking  about.  I  have 
a  belief  on  all  subjects  that  are  agitating  the  country. 

I  believe  there  was  one  person  who  had  these  same  ideas 
and  to  that  person  I  give  all  the  credit  of  introducing  this 
truth  into  the  world,  and  that  was  Jesus.  I  have  no  doubt 
of  His  being  the  only  true  prophet  that  ever  lived  who  had 
ideas  entirely  superior  to  the  rest  of  the  world.  Not  that  He 
as  a  man  was  any  better,  but  He  was  the  embodiment  of  a 
higher  Wisdom,  more  so  than  any  man  who  has  ever  lived. 

Perhaps  you  do  not  understand  my  meaning.  Take  the 
discovery  of  electricity.  There  were  men  who  had  conceived 
some  of  the  ideas  of  Franklin, — ^not  that  Franklin  was  of 
himself  the  discoverer  or  the  person  who  reduced  it  to  a 
science,  but  his  mind  was  the  medium  that  brought  the  wis- 
dom of  the  wise  into  focus,  so  that  an  experiment  might  be 
made  to  prove  the  principle.  The  wisdom  of  the  world  is  not 
confined  to  any  person,  but  when  it  begins  to  condense  into 
a  truth  it  must  exhibit  itself  through  some  medium.  This 
great  truth  called  Christ  was  exhibited  througli  tlie  man 
Jesus,  the  same  as  a  great  truth  was  exhibited  through  the 
man  Franklin  and  called  "electricity."     There  was  a  belief 

1  Quimby  sincerely  believed  in  the  real  spiritual  world  of  the 
living,    in    contrast   with    "the   other    world"    of    the   dead. 


284  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

at  the  time  of  destruction  or  overthrow  of  this  great  truth  at 
the  crucifixion  of  Jesus  that  it  should  rise  again.  Since  then 
tliere  has  been  a  constant  development  of  facts  showing  that 
there  was  some  wisdom  or  power  superior  to  man  and  the 
superstition  of  the  world  has  kept  it  down,  as  the  superstition 
of  slavery  has  kept  Freedom  in  chains. 

Now,  I  as  a  man  claim  no  preeminence  or  superiority  over 
other  men,  but  admit  my  superiority  to  the  learned  and  wise. 
...  I  have  none  of  these  sins  to  answer  for.  I  am  free 
from  all  that  false  religion.  But  I  had  to  contend  with  the 
devil  or  error  for  more  than  twenty  years  before  I  was  free. 
Now  [1864]  I  stand  as  one  that  has  risen  from  the  dead  or 
error  into  the  light  of  truth, — not  that  the  dead  or  my  error 
has  risen  with  me:  I  have  shaken  off  the  old  man  or  my 
religious  garment,  and  put  on  the  new  man  that  is  Christ  or 
Science,  and  I  fight  these  errors  and  show  that  they  are  all  the 
makings  of  our  own  mind.  As  I  stand  outside  of  all  religious 
belief,  how  do  I  stand  alongside  of  my  followers  ?  I  know  that 
I,  through  this  Wisdom,  can  go  and  impress  a  person  at  a  dis- 
tance. The  world  may  not  believe  it,  but  to  the  world  it  is 
just  such  a  belief  as  the  belief  in  spirits.  To  me  it  is  a  fact 
and  this  is  what  I  shall  show. 

THE   RELATION    OF   THIS   TRUTH    TO    THE   SICK. 

What  course  of  argument  must  be  used  to  make  the  masses 
understand  this  truth  by  which  I  correct  the  errors  that  make 
man  sick  ?  What  relation  has  this  truth  to  any  one  and  how 
does  it  stand  to  the  sick?  It  is  the  sick  man's  friend  and 
those  who  can  understand  it  are  related  to  those  who  do  not 
understand  as  a  teacher  who  wishes  to  make  his  pupil  under- 
stand the  principles  of  mathematics.  He  is  not  to  teach 
mathematics  but  to  explain  what  the  rules  mean,  so  the 
pupil  is  not  to  copy  a  mathematical  work  because  that  gives 
him  no  wisdom  in  regard  to  the  truth ;  the  disciple  is  not  to  be 
above  the  science,  nor  the  teacher  above  the  truth,  but  the 
latter  is  to  explain  the  science  by  the  words  of  the  truth.  To 
illustrate :  I  stand  to  this  Science  as  the  teacher  or  expounder 
of  it,  not  as  the  Truth  itself.  So  when  the  truth  says  through 
me  that  all  disease  is  in  the  mind  you  want  me  to  explain  what 
it  means.  You  ask  the  question  because  you  do  not  understand 
what  is  meant  by  the  mind.  It  is  this:  all  opinion,  belief, 
reason,  everything  that  can  be  changed.     Thought  is  a  seed  or 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  285 

an  effect  of  this  great  ocean  of  mind.  The  word  mind  covers 
all  man's  reasoning  as  the  word  wood  covers  all  vegetable  sub- 
stances. A  chair  is  made  of  wood  but  it  is  an  idea  made  out 
of  wood.  In  the  same  way  mind  is  the  material,  and  disease 
is  manufactured  out  of  the  material,  but  the  wisdom  that 
forms  the  idea  is  called  something  else.  Here  you  see  that 
mind  embraces  every  part  of  man  but  his  wisdom  and  here  is 
the  distinction  which  the  world  makes  only  in  a  different 
sense.  The  world  calls  the  parts  mind  and  matter.  I  call 
them  wisdom  and  matter.  Therefore  when  I  use  "mind"  I 
use  it  as  matter  containing  no  intelligence,  but  it  is  like 
sound  connected  with  something  to  which  we  attach  intel- 
ligence. 

PARABLE 

When  sitting  by  a  sick  person  who  had  a  pain  in  the  left 
side  which  I  felt  and  described,  I  said,  you  think  you  have 
consumption.  The  patient  acknowledged  it,  saying  that  her 
physician  had  examined  her  lungs  and  found  the  left  one 
very  much  affected.  This  she  believed  and  when  I  told  her 
that  her  disease  was  in  her  mind,  it  was  as  much  as  to  say  she 
imagined  what  was  not  the  case.  I  told  her  she  did  not  un- 
derstand what  I  meant  by  the  word  mind.  Then  taking  up 
a  glass  of  water  I  said,  suppose  you  should  be  told  that  this 
water  contained  a  poisonous  substance  that  works  in  the  system 
and  sometimes  produces  consumption.  If  you  really  believe  it, 
every  time  you  drink  the  idea  of  poison  enters  your  mind. 
Presently  you  begin  to  hack  and  cough  a  little.  Would  your 
fears  then  grow  less  that  the  water  was  poison  ?  I  think  not. 
Finally  you  are  given  over  by  your  doctor  or  friends  and  call 
on  me.  I  sit  down  by  you  and  tell  you  that  you  are  nervous 
and  have  been  deceived  by  your  doctor  and  friends.  You  ask 
how?  You  have  been  told  what  is  false,  that  the  water  you 
drink  contains  a  slow  poison,  and  now  your  cure  hangs  on  the 
testimony  in  the  case.  If  I  show  that  tbere  is  no  poison  in 
the  water  then  the  water  did  not  poison  you.  What  did?  It 
was  the  doctor's  opinion  put  in  the  water  by  your  mind.  As 
the  mind  can  receive  an  impression  it  can  be  changed,  This 
change  was  wrought  by  the  doctor's  opinion;  so  calling  mind 
something  it  is  easy  to  show  that  it  can  be  changed  by  a  wisdom 
superior  to  an  opinion.  This  wisdom  that  acts  upon  the  mind 
is  something  that  never  has  been  described  by  language,  but 


286  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

it  is  looked  upon  as  a  superior  "power."  This  power  gives 
rise  to  all  religious  opinions.  Man  has  tried  to  condense  it 
into  a  being  called  God,  and  he  worships  it.  My  theory  is 
based  on  this  something  that  man  is  ignorant  of,  and  develops 
from  it  a  language  as  comprehensible  as  any  language.  It 
contains  no  words  but  speaks  from  impressions  which  cannot 
be  mistaken  if  man  knows  himself.  This  language  is  the  feel- 
ings of  the  sick,  and  to  convey  these  feelings  to  the  well  so 
80  that  they  may  have  some  idea  of  the  misery  of  the  sick  and 
its  causes  has  been  my  study  for  twenty  years.^  I  feel  now  that 
my  labors  have  not  been  in  vain.  Arranging  words  to  convey 
this  truth  to  the  well  is  a  task  very  few  would  like  to  go 
through.  But  I  think  now  that  I  have  succeeded  so  that  any 
person  of  ordinary  talent  can  see  that  it  is  the  key  to  unlock 
the  mysteries  of  the  spiritual  world. 

ANSWEK  TO  A   QUESTION 

"Why  do  you  not  rub  your  head  when  sick?"  Because  1 
have  nothing  to  rub  out.  Now  here  are  the  two  modes  of 
reasoning,  the  natural  man  does  not  see  that  the  misery  fol- 
lows his  acts,  so  the  natural  man  is  courageous  at  first,  for  he 
does  not  see  his  real  enemy,  or  the  natural  result  of  his  acts, 
which  is  reaction,  the  true  wisdom  that  will  always  measure 
to  action  its  own  measure.  The  wise  man  sees  the  nature  of 
thought  before  it  takes  effect  and  destroys  it.  When  the 
patient  asked  the  question  he  had  the  answer  in  the  question, 
for  his  ignorance  was  what  I  was  rubhing  out,  so  if  he  had 
known  that  he  would  not  want  any  rubbing. 

CURES 

.  I  am  often  asked  what  I  call  my  cures  I  answer,  the  effect 
of  a  Science  because  I  know  how  I  do  them.  If  I  did 
not  know  they  would  be  a  mystery  to  the  world  and  myself. 
Science  is  Wisdom  put  into  practice.  To  the  natural 
man  it  is  a  power  or  mystery.  All  wisdom  that  has  not 
been  acknowledged  by  the  natural  man  is  called  a  "gift"  or 
spiritual  demonstration,  not  a  science.  The  curing  of  disease 
has  never  been  acknowledged  to  be  under  any  wisdom  superior 
to  the  medical  faculty,  so  people  have  kept  the  world  in  dark- 
ness till  now,  and  how  much  longer  they  will  do  so  I  cannot 
tell.  If  I  succeed  in  changing  the  minds  of  men  enough  to  in- 
1  Written,  1861. 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  287 

vestigatc  they  "will  see  that  disease  is  what  follows  an  opinion, 
and  that  wisdom  that  will  destroy  the  opinion  and  make 
the  cure.  Then  the  cure  will  be  attributed  to  a  superior  Wis- 
dom, not  a  power. 

I  am  accused  of  interfering  with  the  religion  of  my  patients. 
This  is  not  the  case,  but  if  a  particular  passage  in  the  Bible  or 
some  religious  belief  affects  the  patient  I  attack  it.  For  in- 
stance, a  person  gets  nervous  from  his  belief  that  he  has  com- 
mitted the  unpardonable  sin.  His  thouglit  is  then  attached 
to  the  sin  of  his  belief,  and  his  belief  is  some  one's  opinion 
about  a  passage  in  the  Bible  that  he  believes  applies  to  his 
case.  I  know  this  is  all  false,  so  of  course  I  have  to  destroy 
his  opinion,  and  this  destroys  the  effect  which  is  disease.  His 
senses  are  attached  to  a  disease,  mine  are  attached  to  the  Wis- 
dom that  shows  the  absurdity  of  the  opinion.  His  wisdom 
is  of  man,  mine  is  of  God  or  Science.  All  disease  is  the 
punishment  of  our  belief  either  directly  or  indirectly,  and  our 
senses  are  in  our  punishments.  My  senses  are  attached  to 
the  Wisdom  that  sees  through  the  opinion,  so  that  my  love 
or  Wisdom  casteth  out  their  disease  or  fear;  for  their  fear 
hath  torment,  and  perfect  wisdom  casteth  out  all  opin- 
ions. .  .  . 

I  am  often  accused  of  opposing  the  medical  faculty  and  the 
religious  creeds.  In  answer  to  this  I  plead  guilty,  but  you 
must  not  gather  from  this  that  I  oppose  goodness  or  virtue.  I 
oppose  all  religion  based  on  the  opinions  of  men,  and  as  God 
never  gave  an  opinion  1  am  not  bound  to  believe  that  man's 
opinions  are  from  God.  The  difference  between  man's  opin- 
ions and  God's  wisdom  is  more  than  one  would  naturally  sup- 
pose, but  the  former  is  taken  for  a  truth.  This  makes  the 
trouble  with  which  the  wise  have  to  contend.  If  a  man  knew 
himself  he  would  not  be  misled  by  the  opinions  of  others,  and 
as  disease  is  the  result  of  our  opinions  it  is  the  duty  of  all  to 
know  themselves,  that  they  may  correct  their  own  errors. 
Now  if  error  is  something  to  correct  it  must  require  more  wis- 
dom than  the  knowledge  which  invented  it.  When  I  find  a 
person  diseased  I  know  his  trouble  must  have  a  fatlier  or 
beginning.  If  it  is  ignorant  of  its  father,  it  is  not  to  be  sup- 
posed that  it  is  not  witliout  a  father  or  mother.  So  to  destroy 
your  earthly  father  is  to  destroy  your  opinions,  and  to  be  with 
your  heavenly  Father  is  to  be  wise;  so  that  every  one  that 
loses  his  opinions  and  arrives  at  the  truth  is  dead  to  the 
natural  world,  but  alive  to  Wisdom  or  Christ. 


288  DISEASE  AND  HEALINO 

When  I  sit  down  by  a  sick  person  and  he  or  she  wants  to 
tell  me  what  the  doctor  says,  to  me  it  is  nonsense  for  1  have 
not  the  least  regard  for  their  knowledge.  Their  opinions  are 
what  I  try  to  destroy  and  if  I  succeed  their  opinions  have  no 
power  to  create  disease.  Man's  profession,  not  his  wisdom,  is 
the  standard  of  his  popularity.  I  stand  in  direct  opposition 
to  all  others  in  this  respect  and  here  is  the  conflict,  whether 
man's  opinion  is  to  rule  or  his  wisdom.  If  the  medical  pro- 
fession is  based  on  wisdom,  then  it  will  stand  the  test,  and  dis- 
ease must  have  its  origin  outside  of  the  profession ;  either  this 
must  be  true  or  the  opposite.  I  assert  that  disease  is  the  off- 
spring of  opinion.  Ignorance  produces  the  phenomenon  or 
effect,  as  in  the  brute  creation,  but  the  wild  animal  differs  from 
that  of  the  domesticated  animal.  So  it  is  with  man;  the 
perfect  fool  knows  no  aches  or  pains,  where  there  is  no  fear 
there  is  no  torment.  Fear  is  error.  Wisdom  casts  out  fear, 
for  it  knows  no  fear.  You  often  hear  persons  attempt  to  ex- 
plain my  cures  by  their  own  opinions.  Thus  they  make  them- 
selves out  wise  by  tlieir  own  ignorance,  since  they  deny  the 
very  power  of  wisdom  which  they  acknowledge  by  admitting  it 
as  a  mystery  to  them.  So  they  admit  a  power  outside  of  their 
knowledge  and  worship  that  of  which  they  are  completely  ig- 
norant. Now  I  know  that  this  something  which  is  a  mystery 
to  them  is  wisdom  to  me  and  that  my  wisdom  sees  through 
their  opinions ;  and  also  that  the  explanation  is  the  conversion 
from  an  opinion  to  truth  or  health.  The  two  characters,  wis- 
dom and  opinion,  stand  before  each  other  and  the  people 
choose  the  one  they  will  obey,  just  as  they  do  in  national 
affairs.  .  .  . 

Disease  is  the  offspring  of  error  and  as  long  as  the  people 
worship  men's  opinions,  just  so  long  will  they  be  sick.  To  me 
it  is  perfectly  plain  that  if  the  people  could  see  themselves  they 
would  discard  all  the  priests'  and  doctors'  opinions  and  be- 
come a  law  unto  themselves.  All  I  do  is  to  put  the  world  in- 
to possession  of  a  wisdom  that  will  keep  them  clear  from  these 
two  classes  of  opinions.  You  may  think  I  have  some  feeling 
against  the  character  of  the  physicians  but  this  is  not  so. 
Neither  do  I  think  that  they  who  know  me  have  anything 
against  me  as  a  man,  but  they  scout  the  idea  that  I  know  any 
more  about  how  I  cure  disease  than  any  one  else;  they  think 
they  have  the  wisdom  and  I  have  the  power.  I  stand  to  the 
medical  faculty  in  the  light  of  a  harmless  humbug  perfectly 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  289 

ignorant  of  what  I  profess  to  know,  and  all  my  talk  being  to 
amuse  the  patients  and  make  them  believe  that  disease  is  in 
their  imagination.  If  I  succeed  in  doing  this  it  is  all  well, 
but  so  far  as  wisdom  goes,  that  is  folly.  I  am  aware  that  this 
is  my  position  with  the  faculty  and  their  opinions  have  such 
a  strong  hold  on  the  people  that  most  of  them  look  upon  me  in 
the  same  light,  and  if  by  chance  some  one  chooses  to  see  that  I 
am  not  the  person  these  blind  guides  call  me,  they  in  time  are 
looked  upon  in  the  same  light.  I  acknowledge  that  all  this  is 
true  with  regard  to  my  position  in  society,  and  how  do  I  feel 
in  regard  to  it?  I  know  that  it  is  all  false,  although  my  word 
does  not  prove  it  so,  but  I  suppose  I  have  the  same  right  to  give 
my  opinion  with  regard  to  these  two  classes  as  they  have  to 
give  their  opinions  about  me  and  I  will  now  give  it  and  let  the 
masses  judge  for  themselves. 

The  principles  which  I  am  trying  to  establish  are  something 
new.  All  established  theories  purporting  to  help  mankind  are 
merely  the  effect  of  the  effort  which  one  set  of  demagogues 
make  to  gain  the  ascendency  over  another;  the  people  are  no 
better  off,  but  worse.  Disease  of  a  person  is  like  that  of  a 
nation,  each  is  governed  by  arbitrary  laws  and  the  governing 
of  both  is  alike.  Disease  is  acknowledged  to  have  an  identity 
independent  of  man,  and  man  makes  laws  to  govern  it,  attaches 
penalties  to  their  disobedience  and  calls  these  laws  the  "laws 
of  God."  .  .  . 

I  stand  alone,  as  one  arisen  from  the  dead,  or  the  old  theo- 
ries, having  passed  through  all  the  old  ideas  and  risen  again, 
that  I  may  lead  you  into  this  light  that  will  open  your  eyes  to 
the  truth  of  Him  who  spake  as  never  man  spake,  and  who  spake 
the  truth.  This  truth  condemns  all  man's  opinions,  it  settles 
all  creeds  and  priestcraft  and  upsets  the  medical  profession 
and  brings  peace  and  good  will  to  man.  It  teaches  that  man 
in  order  to  break  off  from  his  wickedness  or  opinions  and  learn 
to  speak  the  truth,  must  not  try  to  deceive  his  fellow  man  by 
pretending  to  know  what  is  merely  an  opinion. 

Show  me  the  doctor  that  really  thinks  his  medicine  has  any 
curative  qualities  or  any  intelligence  except  as  it  is  associated 
with  his  opinion  and  I  will  show  you  a  fool,  for  no  intelligent 
physician  would  dare  risk  his  reputation  on  a  hoiuoopatiiic 
pill  to  cure  a  cough,  supposing  the  patient  took  the  medicine  in 
his  food  and  did  not  know  it.  This  shows  that  they  believe 
they  work  on  the  imagination  of  the  patient.     There  are  cer- 


290  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

tain  dnifTg  tliat  will  act  as  an  emetic  or  cathartic;  but  if  the 
patient  should  take  an  emetic  by  accident,  it  would  make  him 
vomit.  Now  when  the  patient  vomits,  if  a  wrong  direction  is 
given,  another  effect  might  be  produced ;  so  it  all  goes  to  show 
that  the  mind  must  be  guided  by  some  wisdom  superior  to 
itself.  If  error  directs,  nothing  certain  is  known  of  the  effect. 
If  wisdom  is  at  the  helm  no  medicine  is  wanted,  for  Wisdom 
can  break  opinions  in  pieces. 

Ignorance  not  knowing  how  the  mind  can  be  affected  by  a 
direction  outside  of  itself,  identifies  wisdom  with  error  or 
matter,  so  that  truth  is  a  stranger,  and  it  is  all  the  time  fight- 
ing against  itself  to  get  rid  of  an  enemy  of  its  own  creation. 
Now  teach  men  this  simple  fact,  that  in  all  action  the  wis- 
dom of  reaction  is  in  the  act  though  the  act  knows  it  not, 
and  their  happiness  will  be  the  result. 

IS   THERE   ANY   CURATIVE   QUALITY   IN   MEDICINE? 

Common  opinion  would  answer  that  there  is  and  according 
to  my  opinion  there  is  but  it  is  all  owing  to  the  patient's  belief, 
and  to  perfect  wisdom  there  is  no  curative  virtue  in  medicine. 

I  will  relate  one  case  out  of  a  hundred  to  show  medicine 
proves  itself  according  to  the  patient's  belief  or  the  direction 
of  some  other  person.  I  was  attending  a  gentleman  who  was 
sick  and  he  thought  he  had  consumption,  but  was  not  fully 
settled  in  his  own  mind,  so  of  course  he  was  very  nervous. 
Under  this  nervousness  the  glands  around  the  throat  were  ex- 
cited and  kept  him  hacking  and  raising,  and  also  kept  him 
heated,  which  heat  would  be  thrown  off  in  a  perspiration. 
After  I  had  told  him  the  cause  of  his  trouble,  the  explanation 
so  far  as  he  understood  relieved  him,  he  breathed  more  easily 
and  was  improving.  One  day  he  read  in  a  paper  an  advertise- 
ment of  a  medicine  which  would  cure  the  catarrh  and  prevent 
the  discharges  from  the  head;  thinking  it  might  cure  him  he 
bought  a  bottle  and  commenced  taking  it,  but  instead  of  lessen- 
ing the  secretion  it  grew  worse  and  he  ran  down  very  rapidly. 

My  theory  explains  this  fact  in  this  way.  His  belief  ad- 
mitted that  his  head  was  diseased  and  in  the  condition  of  a 
sore  and  that  the  medicine  would  cure  it.  Under  this  belief 
the  glands  of  the  nose  were  excited  and  the  medicine  then 
proved  his  belief  that  the  matter  was  in  his  head,  for  it  was 
taken  to  make  the  head  discharge.  His  belief  did  this  by  ex- 
citing the  glands  and  the  medicine  was  taken  to  throw  it  off. 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  291 

so  when  the  matter  and  even  blood  commenced  running  it 
showed  that  the  medicine  was  doing  what  it  agreed  to  do.  But 
another  belief  came  up  that  I  had  given  him,  for  I  had  exposed 
the  absurdity  of  medicine  and  after  he  saw  tlie  effect  he  re- 
membered what  I  had  told  him,  and  abandoning  his  med- 
icine he  returned  to  me  again  and  in  a  few  days  recovered  what 
he  had  lost.  This  is  how  the  disease  worked.  His  own  belief 
produced  the  phenomenon;  his  knowledge  gave  the  medicine 
the  praise  or  blame,  just  as  people  give  God  the  praise  for 
their  own  acts  while  the  devil  has  to  take  the  blame  for  their 
troubles.  I  have  observed  the  effect  of  medicine  and  have 
found  that  there  is  more  virtue  or  misery  in  the  advertisement 
than  in  the  medicine. 

Everyone  knows  how  the  mouth  will  water  by  a  desire  for 
something  that  the  person  wants,  and  how  the  mouth  and 
throat  will  become  parched  by  fear  of  detection  in  crime. 
This  was  known  by  the  ancients  and  magicians,  and  from  the 
fact  that  the  mind  could  be  changed  by  fear,  so  that  criminals 
could  be  detected,  those  who  understood  it  took  advantage  of 
it  to  detect  a  thief.  The  magicians  made  a  paste  that  would 
dissolve  when  laid  on  the  tongue  of  a  person  in  a  perfectly 
calm  state  of  mind,  but  in  case  of  unusual  warmth  or  feverish 
thirst  it  would  not  dissolve,  so  when  a  theft  was  committed  by 
the  servants  all  the  people  were  collected  in  one  room  and  the 
magician  was  sent  for.  Believing  in  his  power,  tbeir  minds 
of  course  were  controlled  by  their  knowledge  and  if  the  thief 
were  present  he  knew  it  and  being  sure  of  detection  grew 
nervous,  this  would  prevent  the  glands  from  acting  and  thus 
bring  out  his  guilt.  The  others  feeling  innocent  were  safe, 
for  if  they  were  nervous  it  did  not  produce  the  state  of  mind 
to  prevent  the  paste  from  dissolving.  So  the  mind  was  the 
medium  to  detect  the  thief  and  out  of  his  own  mouth  he  was 
condemned.  People  put  extravagant  confidence  in  medicine 
supposing  that  it  contains  curative  qualities.  Frequently 
Indian  doctors  appear  who  have  discovered  an  herb  or  root  to 
cure  some  disease  that  man  is  afflicted  with,  as  though  God  had 
made  both  the  disease  and  the  cure.  The  same  class  of  people 
say  that  God  has  made  a  remedy  for  every  disease,  showing  that 
their  superstition  is  woven  into  a  belief  that  God  made  all 
diseases  and  made  medicines  to  cure  them.  This  is  the  belief 
of  mankind  and  it  is  not  strange  that  man  has  gone  out  of  the 
way.  Now  I  disbelieve  in  diseases  and  remedies  as  understood 
by  the  world  and  as  I  once  understood  and  believed.  .  .  . 


292  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

The  opinion  that  God  has  provided  a  remedy  for  every  dis- 
ease gives  rise  to  a  belief  that  there  are  certain  roots  and  herbs 
intended  by  the  Creator  to  cure  all  diseases.  Absurd  as  it 
seems  it  is  the  belief  of  ninety-nine  out  of  a  hundred,  and  this 
being  the  case  a  door  is  open  to  quackery,  for  new  discoveries 
will  come  up  every  day.  Dr.  Herrick's  pills,  Ayers'  sarsapa- 
rilla,  and  countless  others  are  advertised  as  the  cure-all.  Then 
follow  certificates  of  cures  and  of  recommendations  from  some 
M.  D.,  and  these  give  the  medicines  a  run.  Next  a  man  comes 
who  exhibits  the  effect  of  laughing  gas  and  also  states  that  it 
will  cure  neuralgia  and  rheumatism,  and  the  sick  rush  to  him 
for  a  time.  After  he  goes  a  learned  M.  D.  arrives  with  flaring 
advertisements  announcing  free  lectures  on  anatomy  and  the 
digestive  organs.  He  explains  the  action  of  these  organs  and 
dwells  upon  the  danger  of  getting  sick  by  over-eating  and 
drinking,  receives  some  fifty  dollars  from  the  poor  sick  and 
leaves.  Among  the  throng  of  humbugs,  where  all  seems  dark 
and  despairing,  an  announcement  is  whispered  in  the  ear  of  the 
sick  that  God  has  opened  a  way  for  their  recovery  and  sent  an 
angel  of  mercy  who  has  discovered  a  flower  that  will  cure 
everything  that  can  be  cured.  So  here  is  introduced  an  im- 
poster  who  will  give  Lobelia  emetics  till  they  cease  to  affect 
the  patient,  pretending  that  all  diseases  must  yield  to  it. 
This  has  its  day,  and  another  comes  up.  All  tliis  goes  to  show 
that  the  mind  of  man  is  like  an  old  fiddle  played  on  by  every 
kind  of  quackery  relating  to  roots  and  herbs.  With  my  wis- 
dom I  understand  them  all  as  Job  said  to  Zophar,  "What  ye 
know  the  same  do  I  also,  I  am  not  inferior  unto  you."  I  use 
nothing,  yet  I  could  easily  use  all  kinds  of  drugs.  .  .  . 

I  have  seen  the  working  of  popular  belief  and  know  that 
diseases  and  remedies  are  the  invention  of  man,  and  the  very 
proof  which  is  brought  to  establish  their  wisdom  goes  to  sub- 
stantiate what  I  say.  For  instance,  an  emetic  .  .  .  when 
people  have  eaten  too  much  they  can  take  a  Lobelia  emetic; 
also  if  they  think  their  lungs  are  diseased  take  a  Lobelia  eme- 
tic, and  if  they  have  dropsy  take  the  same.  Now  I  will  call 
your  attention  to  what  this  belief  amounts  to  carried  out  to- 
ward God.  What  kind  of  a  God  is  it  that  made  the  earth  to 
bring  forth,  trees  herbs  and  everything  that  hath  life?  All 
this  was  before  man  was  created,  therefore  did  He  make  these 
medicines  and  the  codfish  with  a  liver  to  cure  consumption 
before  the  disease  was  made?     This  belief  would  certainly 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  293 

suppose  that  God  made  the  remedies  before  the  disease,  and 
if  He  made  all  the  remedies  these  quacks  say  He  did,  He  cer- 
tainly is  the  greatest  enemy  to  mankind.  Absurd  as  this 
sounds  we  believe  it  and  are  affected  by  our  beliefs  and  this 
makes  man  the  most  dependent  of  all  God's  creatures.  He  is 
merely  a  target  to  be  fired  at  by  every  person's  opinion.  I 
can  show  by  facts  that  every  person  will  admit  that  no  kind 
of  medicine  has  any  more  effect  of  itself  than  almost  any  kind 
of  food  or  drink  that  we  use  daily,  but  our  ignorance  places 
some  kind  of  virtue  in  the  medicines  as  we  place  wisdom  in 
some  one's  opinion.  The  truth  which  places  all  disease  in 
the  mind  can  explain  the  operation  of  remedies.  God  is 
Wisdom  and  man  is  opinion,  therefore  man  cannot  live  in 
Wisdom  and  be  diseased.  To  show  that  there  are  diseases 
according  to  the  belief  of  man  is  to  show  that  they  are  made 
by  circumstances  which  cannot  be  controlled  except  by  cor- 
recting the  error  that  brought  them  about,  while  ignorance 
would  prescribe  some  medicine  that  God  had  made  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world. 

OUTLINES  OF  A  NEW  THEORY  FOR  CURING  DISEASE 

All  medical  practice  claims  that  their  mode  of  treatment 
is  the  best;  yet  no  one  has  even  hinted  or  dares  to  risk  his 
reputation  on  the  ground  that  disease  is  an  invention  of  man 
and  ought  to  be  treated  as  an  error  or  deception  forced  upon 
mankind  by  ignorance  and  superstition  as  slavery  has  been 
forced  upon  this  country,  and  with  all  the  attendant  evils. 
Mvtheory  is  that  all  phenomena  called  disease  are  the  result  of 
faJse_  belief sorigjnating  in  the  darkness  of  Egyptian  super- 
stition. African~sTavery  is  a  disease  of  ignorance  and  super- 
stition and  is  the  cause  of  the  present  misery  in  this  country, 
but  it  is  merely  the  figure  of  white  slavery  which  has  riveted 
its  fetters  on  the  minds  of  men,  while  the  world  of  mind  lies 
crushed  and  humbled  by  the  tyranny  of  superstitious  belief. 
Disease  is  what  follows  a  belief  and  a  belief  is  like  an  atmos- 
phere so  universal  that  every  one  is  liable  to  be  affected  by  it  as 
by  chilly  winds.  God  never  made  the  wind  to  injure  any  per- 
son, nor  has  He  put  any  intelligence  into  it  so  man  should  be 
afraid  of  it,  but  man  does  not  "see  it  in  this  liglit."  How 
often  we  hear  this  remark,  "Don't  expose  yourself  to  the 
damp,  cold  air."  This  belief  that  God  made  the  air  an 
enemy  to  man  is  a  part  of  the  clouds  that  rise  in  the  mind 
of  every  person,  and  when  this  cloud  is  seen  and  felt  all 


294  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

persons,  old  and  young,  are  affected,  for  the  fear  is  the 
punishment  of  the  belief,  aiid  it  is  no  excuse  that  the  igno- 
rant have  no  belief,  as  they  must  suffer  for  the  sins  of  their 
parents.  Science  is  the  sun  that  burns  up  the  clouds  or 
changes  the  beliefs  of  man,  and  a  little  ray  of  intelligence 
springs  up  and  the  cloud  of  superstition  vanishes,  as  the 
true  God  appears.  The  people  will  hail  the  truth,  as  the 
peak  of  Teneriffe  hails  the  rising  sun  long  before  it  is  seen  by 
the  horizon  of  the  common  minds. 

I  will  bring  some  cases  to  show  that  phenomena  that  once 
took  place  can  never  be  produced  again.  This  fact  holds  good 
in  the  vegetable  as  well  as  in  the  mental  world.  Take  a  pri- 
meval forest,  cut  down  the  old  growth  and  another  will  spring 
up,  not  like  the  first,  but  a  more  solid,  thicker  growth.  So  it 
is  with  error;  like  an  old  growth,  error  is  tall  and  porous 
with  a  great  show.  Science  is  denser  and  more  substantial. 
Error  is  the  natural  growth  of  man;  it  is  a  wilderness  filled 
with  all  kinds  of  superstition  and  every  one  is  liable  to  be 
caught  by  a  native  of  this  land.  It  is  inhabited  by  every  var- 
iety of  creature  such  as  consumption  and  liver  complaint. 
.Science  is  the  axe  in  the  hands  of  Wisdom  to  hew  down  the 
wilderness  and  destroy  its  inhabitants  and  introduce  a  better 
state  of  society.  Like  all  superstition  error  is  very  religious, 
religion  and  slavery  always  go  hand  in  hand;  freedom  and 
science  also  go  together  and  are  the  same.  .  .  .  Science  in 
religion  has  not  made  much  progress  except  as  an  indirect 
result  of  some  other  development.  Astronomy  has  destroyed 
some  of  the  hideous  features  of  religion  and  introduced 
a  happier  state  of  society,  but  it  was  not  the  design  of 
astronomy  to  destroy  religion.  Still  it  is  the  natural  result  of 
science  to  destroy  error  and  prejudice.  It  sometimes  comes  in 
contact  with  the  most  enlightened  state  of  intelligence,  for 
that  is  cursed  with  the  shackles  of  religion  of  dark  ages.  You 
will  see  religion  in  its  purest  state  under  the  most  despotic 
form  of  government,  and  you  will  always  find  disease  imder 
some  despotic  power  of  religion,  and  those  who  undertake  to 
rid  the  world  of  this  evil  are  like  demagogues  in  a  despotism. 
Such  is  the  essence  of  hypocrisy  intended  to  keep  the  masses 
weak  so  they  can  be  ruled.  Starve  the  masses  and  you  destroy 
their  energy  and  make  them  desperate,  then  the  more  enlight- 
ened will  submit  to  the  leaders  for  their  own  safety.     This 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  295 

keeps  in  power  those  demagogues.  So  it  is  with  disease. 
Eeligion  is  despotism  and  in  politics  and  disease  the  misery 
of  the  sick  is  the  torment  of  their  belief.  Eeligion  makes  no 
compromise,  it  is  rule  or  ruin.  It  sometimes  takes  to  itself 
the  name  of  reform,  giving  every  man  the  liberty  of  speech, 
and  then  it  subjects  every  one  to  its  laws.  Just  so  with  the 
poor  slave,  or  sick,  for  the  sick  are  merely  slaves  of  super- 
stition, made  so  by  the  sins  of  our  parents. 

DISEASE  ^ 

What  Js  disease?  It  is  false  reasoning.  True  scientific 
Kisdom  is  health  and  happiness.  False  reasoning  is  sickness 
and  death;  and  on  these  two  modes  of  reasoning  hang  all  of 
our  happiness  and  misery.  The  question  is,  how  can  we  know 
how  to  separate  the  one  i'rom  the  other?  The  truth  cannot  be 
changed;  the  false  is  always  changing.  The  one  is  science, 
and  the  other  is  error,  and  our  senses  are  attached  to  the  one 
or  the  other.  One  is  the  natural  development  of  matter  or 
mind,  and  disease  is  one  of  the  natural  inventions  of  error. 
To  show  how  disease  is  not  what  it  is  supposed  to  be,  by  those 
who  use  the  word,  I  must  show  the  absurdity  of  error's  reason- 
ing, for  error  is  the  father  of  disease. 

We  are  all  taught  by  this  error  to  call  disease  something 
that  is  independent  of  man.  To  make  it  more  plain  and  show 
where  the  two  modes  of  reasoning  act,  I  will  suppose  a  case  and 
take  that  of  a  young  man  who  feeling  a  little  disturbed  calls 
on  a  physician.  The  physician  sounds  his  lungs,  examines 
his  heart,  and  tells  the  patient  he  is  very  liable  to  have  the 
heart-disease.  The  patient  asks  him  how  he  got  it,  and  is  told 
that  he  is  liable  to  catch  disease  and  have  it  and  to  catch  it  is 
to  admit  that  it  exists  independent  of  himself.  Though  the 
patient  were  dead  it  would  exist  the  same  and  others  would  be 
liable  to  get  it.  At  last  the  patient  really  has  the  heart-dis- 
ease, which  his  physician  described  to  him. 

And  has  he  created  it  himself,  or  has  the  doctor  created  it 
for  him?  Now  I  propose  to  show  that  he  has  made  what  the 
world  calls  heart-disease  without  any  one's  help.  To  show 
how  a  building  is  raised  is  to  frame  one  and  then  take  it  down 
again,  so  I  will  take  down  this  building  heart-disease  which 
this  man  has  raised,  and  then  you  can  see  how  ideas  are  made 
or  raised.  I  will  say  to  the  patient,  "You  have  built  the 
1.  Published  in  part  in  "The  Philosophy  of  P.  P.  Quimby,"  1895. 


296  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

disease  yourself,  in  your  sleep  of  ignorance.' '  This  he  cannot 
understand.  So  I  will  tell  him  how  he  lias  worked  in  his  sleep 
and  made  this  very  edifice,  heart-disease.  So  I  begin  to  tell 
his  dream  by  telling  how  he  feels,  in  which  he  admits  I  am 
correct.  Now  when  he  was  asleep,  or  ignorant  of  the  feelings 
that  disturbed  him,  behold  a  spirit  in  the  form  of  a  doctor  sat 
by  him.  And  lo  and  behold,  he  called  up  from  the  dead  a 
person  with  the  heart-disease,  as  he  calls  it.  "And  he  handled 
you,  and  your  sleep  departed  from  you,  and  your  limbs  became 
cold  and  clammy,  and  your  pulse  quickened.  This  excited 
your  brain,  and  at  last  a  figure  of  a  person  arose  like  unto  the 
one  you  saw  in  your  dream,  and  then  you  were  afraid,  and  you 
awoke  in  a  fright.  At  last  the  image  became  more  terrible, 
till  at  length  it  over-shadowed  you  and  became  a  part  of  your- 
self, so  that  when  you  awoke  you  looked,  and  lo !  and  behold 
the  dream  had  become  a  reality,  and  you  had  the  heart-disease. 
Now  whose  dream  was  it,  the  doctor's  or  yours?  Did  you 
catch  the  doctor's  or  did  you  create  it  yourself,  by  your  own 
reasoning  in  your  sleep  or  ignorance,  according  to  the  pattern 
set  you  by  the  doctor? 

"I  say  you  made  it  yourself.  Now  to  cure  you,  or  take  down 
the  building,  is  to  show  you  that  all  the  feeling  you  had  at  the 
commencement  arose  from  a  trifling  cause,  and  that  when  I 
can  make  you  understand  it  I  have  performed  the  cure."  In- 
stead of  giving  medicines  or  going  to  work  by  guess  to  destroy 
the  building,  I  commence  by  showing  the  patient  how  he 
framed  it  by  his  own  hand.  So  I  reason  in  this  way :  "You 
listened  to  the  doctor  to  try  and  understand  what  caused  heart- 
disease.  He  explained  every  variety  of  feeling  or  symptom, 
and  you  listened  until  you  understood  it.  Now  without  know- 
ing it  you  created  in  your  mind  the  disease,  as  much  as  you 
would  if  an  artist  or  mechanic  had  taught  you  how  to  draught 
a  building,  and  you  should  carry  in  your  mind  the  building 
and  in  your  sleep  create  it.  The  only  diflPerence  would  be  that 
one  would  please  you,  for  it  would  contain  wisdom,  while  the 
other  would  bind  you,  for  it  would  contain  fear  and  would 
threaten  to  destroy  your  life.  Your  trouble  is  the  material 
with  which  to  build  the  building.  A  chemical  change  in  the 
fluids  of  your  system  takes  place,  governed  by  your  belief,  and 
you  condense  the  changes  into  a  phenomenon  corresponding 
with  your  plan.  Your  ingenuity  in  manufacturing  the  disease 
has  been  the  destruction  of  your  happiness.     To  destroy  the 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  297 

disease  I  convince  you  that  what  the  doctor  said  was  an  idea 
gotten  up  by  error,  not  knowing  how  to  account  for  some  little 
disturbance,  which  in  itself  amounted  to  notliing,  but  by  the 
doctor's  mode  of  reasoning  about  what  he  knew  nothing,  you 
were  led  astray  into  the  darkness  of  heathen  superstition 
where  all  kinds  of  evil  spirits  and  disease  dwell  in  the  brain  of 
man.  Superstition  always  shows  itself  through  the  ignorance 
of  man's  reasoning,  assuming  as  many  names  and  forms  as  the 
father  of  all  lies,  the  devil  or  the  error  of  mankind." 

DISEASE,  LOVE,  COURAGE 

The  question  is  often  asked,  what  is  disease?  It  could  be 
very  easily  answered  by  a  physician  of  the  old  school  by 
simply  pointing  out  a  person  coughing  and  saying  that  person 
has  consumption.  Xow  instead  of  calling  that  phenomenon 
by  a  name,  explain  how  it  came.  This  the  doctor  does  not  do, 
except  by  another  phenomenon  as  much  in  the  dark  as  the 
former.  So  you  may  chase  him  from  one  lie  to  another  until 
you  are  tired  and  only  find  out  at  last  that  it  is  a  mystery. 
Where  do  I  stand  as  far  as  disease  goes  ?  I  know  that  the  bot- 
tom of  these  phenomena  is  a  lie  in  the  beginning  and  started 
by  a  liar  till  it  was  received  as  true;  then  the  phenomenon 
is  called  disease. 

Every  idea  is  the  embodiment  of  an  opinion  resolved  into 
an  idea.  This  idea  has  life  or  a  chemical  change,  for  it  is  the 
offspring  of  a  man's  w^isdom  and  his  senses  are  attached  to  it. 
For  instance,  you  see  something  you  would  like.  You  attach 
your  senses  to  the  idea  and  then  the  value  is  in  the  idea  in  the 
shape  of  love  or  worth.  If  it  is  love,  it  is  not  in  the  idea  but 
in  the  essence  or  author  of  the  idea.  I  will  try  to  make 
it  plain.  You  see  a  person,  at  first  sight  you  are  affected,  and 
you  attach  your  senses  to  the  idea  in  the  form  of  love.  You 
may,  or  may  not  be  deceived.  Passion  or  excitement  is  matter 
governed  by  error  subject  to  love.  Love  is  wisdom,  passion 
is  error  acting  upon  ignorance.  Science  is  to  keep  the  two 
separate  or  in  subjection  to  Wisdom.  When  two  persons  meet 
we  think  that  the  first  impression  comes  from  the  idea  or  per- 
son, but  this  is  not  the  case :  the  atmosphere  around  the  idea 
is  what  is  affected  and  this  is  not  known  to  us,  so  we  reason 
from  a  false  basis,  not  knowing  ourselves. 

To  give  you  a  clearer  idea  of  what  I  wish  to  convey,  I  must 
take  myself  as  one  person  and  my  patient  as  another.    When 


298  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

I  sit  down  I  am  one  person,  that  is,  I  am  quiet,  perfectly  at 
ease,  not  afraid  of  any  impression  from  my  patient.  My  wis- 
dom is  my  strcn^h.  My  opponent's  wisdom  is  in  his  error, 
for  if  he  knew  the  truth  he  would  not  want  me.  So  there  are 
two  persons  in  one  body,  or  two  mentalities  acting  through  one 
medium,  and  as  error  is  a  coward  it  assumes  a  sort  of  courage. 
I  do  not  know  how  to  describe  true  courage,  for  wisdom  needs 
no  such  word.  I  never  knew  that  God  showed  any  courage. 
It  seems  to  be  a  sort  of  braggadocio  element.  If  a  dog  shows 
courage  it  is  based  on  the  assumption  that  he  is  not  afraid,  for 
when  overpowered  his  courage  fails,  so  it  shows  that  what  is 
called  courage  in  us  is  an  element  not  perfectly  understood. 
Take  away  the  fear  of  danger,  then  man  has  courage.  Some 
men  see  danger  where  others  do  not  and  so  no  two  men  reason 
alike,  so  no  two  men's  courage  is  alike.  I  know  no  way  of 
giving  you  a  test  of  courage  as  well  as  to  take  myself. 

When  I  first  commenced  my  practice  I  thought  I  had  cour- 
age as  much  as  my  neighbors,  but  as  I  found  I  was  liable  to 
be  affected  by  another's  feelings  my  courage  failed.  So  I 
used  some  sort  of  strategem  to  get  the  advantage  of  my  pa- 
tients and  being  rather  reckless  I  ran  risks  which  the  world 
would  call  courageous.  For  instance,  I  was  not  afraid  of  an 
insane  man  if  I  could  get  his  eye.  To  the  world  this  looked 
like  courage,  but  to  me  it  was  wisdom.  I  had  no  fear  for  I  saw 
no  harm.  I  have  been  trying  to  get  wisdom  in  regard  to  the 
disease  of  mankind,  for  disease  is  like  all  other  evils  that  come 
within  our  senses.  When  I  first  took  the  feelings  of  patients, 
it  took  courage  to  keep  from  taking  the  disease.  I  knew  this 
kind  of  courage,  it  was  fear  lest  I  should  be  called  a  coward, 
so  I  would  assume  courage.  But  if  I  had  known  what  I  know 
now  I  should  not  have  been  in  any  more  danger  than  a  person 
would  be  in  a  boat  where  the  water  was  not  over  three  feet  deep. 
But  my  courage  admitted  water  twenty  feet  deep,  rough  at 
that,  and  myself  in  a  leaky  craft.  As  I  began  to  touch  bottom 
or  get  wisdom,  I  found  that  the  depth  of  the  water  or  the  dan- 
ger was  in  my  patient's  mind  and  I  believed  his  story  without 
looking  for  myself,  and  the  patient  seemed  two  men  to  me. 
Thus  I  found  out  the  trouble  his  fears  were  one  man  and  his 
ignorance  another.  To  make  courage  out  of  fear  was  to  make 
him  believe  there  was  no  danger;  then  his  courage  would 
come,  and  to  destroy  both  was  to  let  him  know  the  truth. 

I  know  that  disease  is  the  invention  of  man,  therefore  it  re- 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  299 

quires  no  courage  to  say  so,  for  there  is  no  danger.  Danger  is 
that  which  calls  out  fear  and  courage  is  the  element  to  face  it ; 
so  just  as  a  man  loses  fear  he  gains  courage.  Some  men  never 
see  danger,  so  tlieir  courage  is  not  courage,  but  a  sort  of  artifi- 
cial pride  which  makes  them  wish  to  be  praised  for  what  they 
know  not,  for  their  ignorance  destroys  their  fear.  This  was 
the  case  with  myself.  My  ignorance  made  me  bold,  for  I 
knew  no  danger,  but  as  soon  as  I  found  I  was  liable  to  be  af- 
fected by  the  sick  my  fears  came.  Then  just  as  I  saw  danger 
my  fears  increased  and  my  courage  failed;  but  I  would  feel 
the  same  reckless  propensity  to  kill  disease,  so  I  would  be 
more  cautious  and  more  careful  till  I  found  my  enemy  had 
the  same  fears  that  I  had.  At  last  it  became  a  sort  of  war- 
fare between  myself  and  a  patient.  I  found  that  my  courage 
was  my  protection  and  that  error  was  an  element  or  odor, 
while  ignorance  and  fear  was  what  arose  from  that.  So  I 
came  to  the  conclusion;  that  ignorance  begets  error,  error  be- 
gets fear,  fear  begets  courage,  and  Wisdom  destroys  them  all. 
So  as  man  grows  wase  he  grows  strong  and  his  wisdom  makes 
him  happy  and  good,  for  goodness  is  wisdom,  and  Wisdom  is 
the  religion  of  Jesus. 

The  [conventional]  religion  is  the  opposite  of  that.  One  is 
the  invention  of  man,  the  other  is  the  wisdom  of  God  which 
Jesus  illustrated  by  taking  a  little  child.  I  will  do  the  same, 
to  show  that  goodness  is  a  science  and  also  that  all  religion 
based  on  man's  opinions  must  fall.  One  can  be  proved,  the 
other  cannot.  I  will  illustrate  the  two  by  the  child.  Every 
one  will  acknowledge  that  the  child's  character  somewhat  de- 
pends upon  its  bringing  up.  If  this  is  admitted  it  shows  that 
if  the  parents  could  see  what  was  best  for  the  child's  happiness 
much  of  its  misery  might  be  avoided;  this  fact  is  evident  to 
all.  It  is  a  fact  like  all  others  in  science;  sometimes  it  works 
well,  sometimes  ill,  but  when  it  works  ill  we  see  how  it  might 
be  avoided,  showing  that  if  we  had  more  knowledge  wo 
might  do  better.  This  shows  that  Science  Wisdom  reduced 
to  practice,  so  as  goodness  is  the  result  of  our  training,  it  is 
certain  that  to  be  good  is  a  science,  and  as  goodness  is  re- 
ligion, that  is  a  science.  It  is  all  summed  up  in  this,  that 
the  world  is  made  of  ignorance,  disease,  religion  and  error, 
hyprocrisy  and  all  sorts  of  evil ;  and  to  be  a  follower  of  Jesus 
and  believe  in  the  Christ  is  to  separate  yourself  from  the 
world  and  stand  alone  in  your 'wisdom.     Thus  you  will  learn 


300  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

that  man  witliout  wisdom  is  of  all  things  the  most  miser- 
able; he  is  liable  to  get  into  trouble  by  every  act  of  his 
life. 

WHAT   DO   I   IMPART   TO   MY   PATIENTS? 

The  question  is  often  asked  me,  do  you  impart  anything  to 
your  patients  when  you  talk?  I  answer,  I  do,  and  I  will  try 
to  make  you  understand  how.  To  do  this  I  must  give  you  an 
illustration  in  language  applied  to  something  that  you  wish 
to  know  which  gives  you  trouble.  Suppose  you  are  purchas- 
ing goods,  and  in  your  hurry  you  lose  your  wallet  containing 
all  your  money.  You  do  not  miss  it  till  you  go  to  pay  your 
bills,  and  then  you  find  you  have  lost  your  cash.  Now  the 
shock  excites  your  system  or  mind  according  to  the  amount 
you  are  disturbed.  You  become  excited  and  very  nervous. 
This  is  accompanied  by  a  feverish  state  of  mind  or  body,  for 
the  bodily  condition  is  only  the  reflection  of  the  state  of  the 
mind.  At  last  you  let  your  trouble  be  known  to  some  person 
and  begin  to  look  for  the  money.  You  can't  find  it,  and. 
borrow  money  to  pay  the  person  for  assisting  you.  This 
adds  to  the  trouble,  and  at  last  you  take  your  bed  and 
send  for  a  physician.  He  feels  of  the  pulse,  says  your 
head  is  affected,  and  orders  your  head  shaved  and  a  blister 
applied.  This  only  aggravates  the  nervous  excitement. 
So  you  keep  on  till  you  finally  give  up  and  dismiss  all  the 
doctors,  and  come  to  the  conclusion  that  your  money  is 
gone  and  you  must  make  the  best  of  it.  The  next  day 
you  feel  more  reconciled,  and  your  doctor  calls  a  friend 
and  finds  you  better  and  says  the  medicine  you  took  has 
had  a  good  effect  on  you.  Now  the  question  arises,  who 
gave  the  medicine?  Not  the  doctor,  but  wisdom  took  pos- 
session of  you  and  you  began  to  reason  and  send  for  me. 
I  know  nothing  of  the  trouble,  but  have  found  a  pocket- 
book,  containing  $10,000  and  am  going  to  advertise  it. 
At  the  sight  of  the  pocket  book  you  start  and  say,  "that 
is  mine."  The  shock  changes  the  mind  and  the  cure  is 
made.  Now  who  imparted  the  cure?  The  $10,000  I  gave 
you.  So  this  is  the  way  I  cure.  The  person  has  lost  some- 
thing that  he  cannot  find  or  has  got  into  some  trouble  he 
cannot  get  rid  of.  He  wants  something  to  satisfy  his  desires, 
and  whatever  that  is  it  is  the  same  as  the  money,   and 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  301 

the  one  who  can  impart  it  gives  him  the  remedy.  Suppose 
a  person  receives  a  shock  from  falling  into  a  river,  and 
returns  home  excited  with  a  state  like  a  cold.  This  pro- 
duces a  cough.  Now,  as  there  are  many  ghosts  in  the  form  of 
disease,  he  fears  some  of  them  may  get  hold  of  him.  So 
he  goes  to  a  doctor  and  lays  his  case  before  him.  The  doc- 
tor says  you  are  very  liable  to  have  consumption.  Now 
of  course  you  are  troubled,  and  are  all  the  time  like  the 
man  who  was  looking  for  his  lost  money.  So  he  inquires 
of  every  person  what  is  good  for  a  cough;  or  if  they  can 
tell  where  his  money  is.  So  every  person  gives  his  opin- 
ion, and  there  is  just  as  much  in  one  opinion  as  another. 
At  last  in  despair  he  gives  it  up,  and  I  am  sent  for,  I 
first  tell  him  what  he  is  afraid  of  by  telling  him  how  he  is 
affected.  Here  is  something  he  can't  get  from  the  doctor. 
This  makes  him  feel  more  comfortable,  and  then  I  go  on 
to  show  him  how  he  has  been  living  on  husks  or  opinions 
about  an  idea  that  never  had  an  existence  only  in  the 
superstition  of  the  people.  As  he  is  full  of  these  opinions 
I  have  to  give  him  something  in  the  form  of  truth  that  will 
dissolve  the  error  and  satisfy  him. 

EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PATIENT  WITH  DR.  QUIMBT 

For  many  years  I  was  very  sick  and  finding  no  benefit 
resulting  from  the  various  modes  ,of  cure  that  I  had 
employed,  I  thought  of  visiting  Dr.  Quimby.  So  I  in- 
quired of  some  friends  in  regard  to  his  treatment.  Some 
said  he  was  a  spiritualist  and  others  that  he  was  a  mes- 
meriser,  and  others  said  he  made  war  on  all  religious  be- 
liefs, and  as  I  could  not  see  what  my  belief  had  to  do  with 
my  disease  I  gave  up  the  idea  of  going  to  see  him,  but 
finally  I  was  brought  to  the  subject  again  tlirough  utter 
hopelessness  and  despair  of  recovery,  so  I  went  to  see  him. 
In  my  first  interview  I  asked  him  if  he  could  cure  the 
spinal  disease.  He  answered  that  he  never  wished  a  patient 
to  tell  him  his  feelings.  "Very  well"  said  I,  "what  do 
you  want  me  to  do?"  "Nothing,"  said  he,  "but  listen  to 
what  I  say."  I  then  asked  him  if  he  gave  medicine.  "No." 
"Do  you  employ  any  agent  from  the  world  of  spirits?" 
"No"  said  he.  "Then,"  said  I,  "it  must  be  mesmerism." 
He  replied  "that  may  be  your  opinion  but  it  is  not  the 
truth."     "Then  will  you  please  tell  me  what  you  call  your 

• 


302  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

way  of  curing?"  He  said  he  had  no  name.  ^  "Well,"  said 
I,  "is  it  original  with  you?"  He  said  he  never  knew  any- 
one who  cured  as  he  did.  "Can  you  give  me  some  idea 
how  you  cure?"  He  said,  "it  would  be  very  hard  to  con- 
vince a  person  how  he  felt  unless  I  feel  myself."  "Yes,"  I 
said,  "it  would  be  hard  for  you  to  tell  my  feelings." 
"Well,"  said  he,  "if  I  tell  you  how  you  feel  will  you  admit 
it?"  "Certainly,  but  how  do  you  cure?"  He  answered, 
"I  will  illustrate  one  thing.  Do  you  believe  the  Bible?" 
"Certainly,"  I  said.  "When  Jesus  said  to  His  disciples 
*a  little  while  I  am  with  you,  then  I  go  my  way  and  you 
shall  seek  me.  Where  I  go  you  cannot  come,'  What  did  He 
mean  by  the  passage?"  "I  suppose  He  spoke  of  the 
crucifixion,"  "Then  you  think,"  said  he,  "that  Jesus  al- 
luded to  another  world  when  He  said  'If  you  loved  me  you 
would  rejoice  that  I  go  to  the  Father.  ...  In  another  place 
He  says  'if  I  do  not  go  away  the  Comforter  will  not  come, 
but  if  I  go  away  I  will  send  the  Comforter  who  will  guide 
you  to  all  truth.'  Now  I  suppose  you  think  all  this  refers 
to  another  world?"     I  said,  "Yes." 

"Well,"  said  he,  "now  I  will  sit  down  and  see  if  I  can 
tell  your  feelings."  He  then  sat  down  and  took  my  hand 
and  soon  passed  his  hand  on  one  of  the  vertebrae  of  my 
spine  and  said  "You  have  a  very  sharp  pain  in  this  verte- 
bra at  this  time."  I  said  I  had.  Then  he  placed  his  hand 
on  the  left  temple  and  said  "you  have  a  very  bad  pain  here 
and  it  affects  the  sight  of  your  left  eye."  I  then  told  him 
he  was  right.  "Now,"  said  he,  "I  will  explain  how  I  cure. 
Will  you  admit  that  Jesus  took  upon  Himself  our  infirm- 
ities?" I  said  yes.  "Have  I  not  taken  your  pain  in  the 
spine,  also  in  the  temples  and  eyes?"  "Yes,"  I  said. 
"I  will  now  explain  those  passages  which  I  have  men- 
tioned. My  theory  is  that  disease  is  the  invention  of 
man,  a  burden  bound  on  the  people,  laid  on  their  shoulders, 
grievous  to  be  borne;  that  man  has  been  deceived  and  led 
away  and  is  unable  to  get  back  to  health  and  happiness; 
that  Jesus'  mission  was  to  break  the  bands  that  bound  the 
sick  and  restore  them  to  health  and  happiness.  In  order 
to  do  this  He  had  to  find  them,  for  they  had  wandered  away 
like  sheep  without  a  shepherd.     So  He  took  their  aches  and 

1  This  is  the  kind  of  statement  a  critic  distorted  into  the  notion 
that  Dr.  Quimby  did  not  know  how  he  cured. 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  303 

pains  to  show  them  He  was  with  them  and  knew  how  they 
felt  and  said,  'Come  unto  Me  all  you  who  are  heavy  laden 
and  I  will  give  you  rest.' "  I  said,  "You  seem  to  talk  a 
great  deal  about  the  Bible.  I  came  here  to  be  cured  and  not 
to  have  my  religion  destroyed."  He  answered,  "Have  I  said 
anything  about  religion?"  "No,  but  I  cannot  see  why  you 
quote  the  Bible."  "I  will  tell  you"  said  he,  "you  admit  I 
took  your  feelings?"  "Yes."  "Well,  I  want  to  give  you 
to  understand  that  when  I  take  your  feelings  I  am  with  you, 
not  myself  as  a  man  but  this  great  truth  which  I 
call  Christ  or  God."  "What  do  you  mean  by  that?  That 
you  are  equal  with  Christ?"  "What  do  you  mean  by 
Christ?"  he  asked.  "I  mean  Jesus."  "Then  Jesus  and 
Christ  are  one?"  "Yes."  "Then"  said  he,  '^ow  is  Jesus 
God?"  "God  manifest  in  the  flesh,"  I  replied.  "He 
asked  "What  do  you  mean  by  God  manifest  in  the  flesh?" 
"That  God  took  upon  Himself  flesh  and  blood  to  convince 
man  of  His  power  and  save  man  from  an  endless  eternity 
of  misery."  "Can  God  exist  outside  of  matter?"  he  asked. 
I  answered  "Yes."  "Is  there  anything  of  man  that  exists 
when  God  is  out  of  him?"  "Yes,"  said  I,  "flesh  and 
blood."  "Then  flesh  and  blood  is  something  of  itself?" 
"Yes."  "What  do  you  call  that,  the  natural  man?"  "Yes," 
"This  Jesus  would  be  the  natural  man  of  flesh  and  blood 
and  Christ  the  God  manifested  in  the  man  Jesus?"  I 
said,  "Yes,  I  think  so."  '^^ell,"  said  he,  "that  is  just 
what  I  want  to  prove  to  you,  that  the  Christ  is  the  God 
in  us  all.  Do  you  deny  that  you  have  a  particle  of  God 
in  you?"  "No,  I  believe  it"  I  said.  "Then  we  do  not 
disagree  in  this.  I  want  to  make  you  understand  that  this 
Christ  or  God  in  us  is  the  same  tliat  is  in  Jesus,  only  in  a 
greater  degree  in  Him — Jike  this:  You  teach  music?" 
"Yes,"  J  said.  "Do  your  pupils  know  as  much  about  the 
science  of  music  as  you  do?"  "No,  if  they  did  I  could  not 
teach  them."  "Then  you  have  the  science  more  than  they?" 
"Yes."  "They  have  some?"  "Yes."  "What  they  know  is 
science?  Is  it  not  equal  to  the  same  amount  in  you?" 
"Yes,"  I  said.  "Then  if  one  of  your  pupils  should  say  I 
understand  the  science  of  music,  it  is  to  be  understood 
that  he  is  equal  to  you?"  "No."  "Well,  so  it  is  with  me" 
said  he;  "when  I  say  that  by  this  great  truth  I  cast  out 
error,  or  in  other  words  correct  your  opinion  and  free  you 


304  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

from  that  curse  of  all  evils,  disease,  I  do  not  mean  to  say 
that  P.  P.  Quimby  is  equal  to  the  man  Jesus  or  equal  to 
His  wisdom  or  Christ,  but  merely  admit  that  I  recognize 
the  great  principle  in  man,  of   Grod  as   a  distinct  Being. 

"While  I  am  explaining  this  Christ  I  will  give  you  the 
trinity  that  I  believe  in,  that  is  P.  P.  Quimb/s  trinity,  not 
that  P.  P.  Q.  is  the  trinity  but  that  P.  P.  Q.  believes  it.  He 
believes  in  one  living  and  true  wisdom  called  God,  in 
Jesus  (flesh  and  blood)  a  medium  of  this  truth,  and  in  the 
Holy  Ghost  or  explanation  of  God  to  man.  Here  is  my 
trinity  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  Science  that  will  lead 
yovL  into  all  truth :  it  will  break  the  band  of  error  and  tri- 
umph over  the  opinion  of  the  world.  This  Holy  Ghost  is  what 
is  with  your  Christ  that  your  fleshly  man  knows  not  of; 
this  is  the  Christ  in  you  that  has  been  cast  into  prison 
since  you  were  first  sick;  it  is  the  Christ  that  Jesus  speaks 
of  that  preached  to  the  prisoners  long  before  the  flood. 
This  same  Christ  was  crucified  at  the  death  of  Jesus  and 
laid  in  the  tomb  of  Joseph's  new  doctrines,  not  with  the 
body  of  Jesus.  The  Jews  crucified  Christ  by  their  false 
religion  and  the  masses  crucified  the  man  Jesus,  so  Christ 
in  the  tomb  of  every  true  disciple  had  the  Christ  lying  in 
his  breast  crucified  by  the  world  of  opinions.  This  Christ 
is  the  one  that  Jesus  Christ  spake  of,  not  of  the  flesh  and 
blood  that  the  people  saw  by  their  natural  eyes.  So  all  the 
truth  that  came  through  the  man  Jesus  was  Christ 
and  it  was  the  garment  of  Jesus.  So  Jesus  was  clothed 
with  the  gospel  or  wisdom  of  God.  When  the  error  mur- 
dered the  man,  they  stole  the  body  of  Christ  and  parted  His 
garments  or  wisdom  among  them,  while  the  people  believed 
that  the  flesh  and  blood  that  was  laid  in  the  tomb  was  the 
one  that  they  heard,  when  it  was  nothing  but  the  medium  of 
the  one  whom  they  never  saw,  only  in  a  mystery.  This  same 
Christ  rose  again  and  is  still  in  the  world  of  matter  recon- 
ciling the  world  of  error  to  the  science  of  God. 

"I  will  now  commence  anew  to  preach  Christ  to  you  to  cure 
you  of  your  errors  or  disease  and  bring  you  into  this  living 
Truth  that  will  set  you  free  from  the  evils  of  man's  opinions 
that  binds  burdens  upon  you  in  the  form  of  a  disease.  So 
when  I  say  I  am  with  you  I  mean  this  Christ  or  truth,  not  P. 
P.  Quimby  as  a  man.  I  have  acknowledged  it  as  my  leader 
and  master.    So  when  I  speak  of  it  I  speak  of  it  as  a  wisdom 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  303 

superior  to  P.  P.  Q's,  and  you  have  the  same  Christ  in  you 
confined  by  the  errors  of  this  world.  So  I  will  now  sit  down 
by  you  again  and  listen  to  your  groans,  for  I  feel  the  pain  of 
the  bands  that  bind  you  across  the  chest.  Now  this  that  feels 
is  not  P.  P.  Quimby,  but  the  Christ  and  that  which  complains 
is  not  Mrs.  P.  but  the  Christ  in  Mrs.  P.  struggling  to  roll  the 
stone  from  the  sepulchre  of  her  tomb,  to  rise  from  the  dead 
or  error,  into  the  living  God  or  Wisdom.  You  see  that,  I, 
that  is,  this  Wisdom,  makes  a  sick  man  two, — a  man  beside 
himself  and  the  servant  above  his  master.  When  the  master 
is  acknowledged  the  servant  is  not  known,  no  more  than  an 
error  is  known  when  the  truth  comes.  I  will  show  my  mean- 
ing by  an  illustration  :  If  you  believe  your  lungs  are  diseased, 
the  servant  or  belief  is  the  master,  and  Wisdom  the  true  master 
becomes  the  servant;  but  when  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard 
comes,  then  the  wicked  servant  is  cast  out  and  another  is  put 
in  his  place  that  will  render  to  his  Lord  his  dues.  So  when 
I,  this  truth,  shall  convince  the  error  of  its  wrong,  it  cannot 
stand  the  fire  of  Truth,  so  it  will  submit  to  Wisdom,  then 
truth  will  resume  its  sway  and  health  and  happiness  will  be 
the  result.  Your  disease  is  the  result  of  your  belief  and  to 
change  your  belief  is  to  convince  you  of  an  error  that  binds 
you  and  the  pains  and  depleted  state  of  mind  are  the  natural 
results  of  your  punishment.  Truth  never  binds  or  separates 
one  truth  from  another  and  all  belief  that  has  a  tendency 
to  separate  us  is  error  and  makes  unhappiness.  Error  always 
tries  to  separate  one  from  another. 

"I  will  illustrate:  Suppose  you  are  my  child  and  you  be- 
come sick  as  you  are  now;  according  to  the  religious  belief 
we  must  separate  and  perhaps  at  some  future  time  we  shall 
meet  again  in  that  world  whence  no  traveller  ever  returned. 
The  chances  according  to  your  own  and  j'our  friends'  belief 
are  that  you  are  bound  for  that  world  of  spirits.  Suppose  I 
believe  as  you  and  the  rest  of  the  religious  world,  what  must 
be  my  feelings  when  I  see  you  hastening  to  that  world  whence 
no  traveller  returns;  how  must  you  feel,  knowing  that  you 
are  about  to  be  snatched  from  the  bosom  of  your  friends  to 
enter  that  dark  and  dismal  grave,  with  only  the  hope  of  a 
resurrection  from  the  dead  and  that  based  on  a  belief?  Ts 
not  that  enough  to  rock  the  very  foundation  of  3'our  build- 
ing and  make  the  walls  of  your  belief  tremble  even  to  the 
foundation?     To  me  this  is  a  horrid  belief. 


306  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

"Now  this  is  your  true  state,  standing  trembling  between 
hope  and  fear,  holding  back  through  fear  and  clinging  to  your 
friends,  while  the  nearest  and  dearest  of  them  are  trying  to 
drive  you  off  through  their  blind  faith.  Suppose  you  are  a 
parent  and  your  only  son  should  be  pressed  into  the  army  and 
your  neighbors  who  have  sons  should  come  round  and  console 
you  by  saying  he  would  be  better  off  for  going  even  if  he 
should  die  fighting  for  his  country,  would  you  feel  happy  to 
part  with  him  ?  Must  not  the  separation  be  almost  enough  to 
break  your  heart?  Then  your  husband  is  called  upon  and 
now  your  cup  is  filled  to  overflowing.  Can  all  this  happen 
without  a  sunken  eye,  a  pale  and  hollow  cheek,  with  hectic 
flush,  a  purple  lip,  and  nervous  cough?  In  all  this  the 
chances  are  not  one  out  of  fifty  that  they  will  not  both  re- 
turn to  cheer  you  up  in  your  last  moments  when  your  life 
is  almost  run  out.  In  all  this  your  spirits  mingle  as  though 
you  were  only  separated  like  other  friends,  but  when  they 
die,  according  to  our  belief,  the  thread  that  binds  us  is 
severed  by  the  knife  that  cuts  our  life  and  our  souls  launch 
into  the  world  of  our  belief.  Which  is  worse?  To  go 
through  either  is  bad  enough,  but  I  believe  the  religious 
belief  is  worse.  The  religious  belief  prepares  the  mind  for 
the  medical  belief,  one  is  based  on  old  superstitions;  this  gets 
the  mind  worked  up  like  mortar,  then  the  potter  or  doctor 
moulds  the  mind  into  disease.  I  have  no  sympathy  with 
either.  Science  knows  no  such  beliefs;  Science  never 
separates,  it  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  it  has  no  be- 
ginning nor  end. 

"I  will  now  return  to  you  again  as  my  child  to  convince 
you  that  although  your  eyes  are  sunken  and  your  cheek  hectic 
your  pains  and  trouble  are  all  in  your  false  ideas  of 
yourself.  We  are  all  a  part  and  parcel  of  each  other,  that  is, 
in  our  wisdom  or  that  life  eternal  which  cannot  be  severed,  but 
our  beliefs  may  hold  it  in  bondage.  Now  as  you  sit  and 
listen,  suppose  you  grow  quiet  and  pass  into  that  happy  state 
of  mind  where  you  meet  your  husband  and  son,  talk  with  them 
about  the  war  and  learn  from  them  that  they  find  it  rather 
a  hard  life,  but  they  will  not  return  till  the  rebellion  is 
crushed.  On  the  whole  you  are  satisfied  that  they  are  better 
off  so  far  as  their  situation  is  concerned  than  you  thought 
for.  Would  you  not  feel  relieved?  I  know  you  would. 
While  you  are  in  this  state  suppose  you  believed  you  were 
dying  and  your  friends  were  weeping  around  you  for  the  last 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  307 

time  and  you  could  not  speak.  Which  do  you  think  would 
have  the  most  reviving  effect  on  you  when  you  awoke?  You 
need  not  answer.  Now,  my  belief  is  this:  Wisdom  never 
separates  you  .from  me  but  makes  us  a  part  of  each  other  in 
Wisdom;  for  what  I  feel  I  knaw  and  what  I  do  not  know  I 
cannot  feel.  To  believe  my  child  is  separate  and  apart  from 
me  is  a  horrid  belief  to  us  both,  but  to  know  that  God  cannot 
be  divided  is  to  know  that  we  cannot  be  separated  from 
our  Heavenly  Father.  The  error  is  only  held  together 
by  opinions  that  can  deceive,  but  Science  is  eternal  life. 
This  is  in  all  mankind  and  is  progress,  it  knows  no  death  or 
separation.  To  know  this  is  more  than  the  religious  world 
ever  had.  This  was  the  doctrine  of  Jesus;  Christ  is  the 
child  of  this  wisdom  and  this  is  what  I  am  trying  to  get  into 
your  mind  like  the  little  leaven  that  leaveneth  tlie  whole 
lump.  If  this  is  infidel  doctrine,  then  P.  P.  Qnimby  is  an 
infidel;  but  I  would  rather  part  with  everything  on  earth 
than  part  with  this  Truth  which  is  my  shepherd  that  leadeth 
me  through  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  and  lodges 
me  where  no  belief  or  opinion  can  give  me  one  drop  of  water  to 
cool  my  tongue  when  tormented  by  religious  belief." 

THE    SILENT    METHOD 

[It  is  noticeable  that  Quimby  does  not  spend  time  analyz- 
ing the  process  of  healing,  does  not  write  about  concentra- 
tion, meditation  or  "the  silence."  Possessing  exceptional 
powers  of  concentration,  he  immediately  turned  to  the  pa- 
tient to  make  his  intuitive  diagnosis,  then  gave  his  thought 
to  the  realization  of  the  Divine  ideal  of  health  and  happiness. 
The  nearest  he  comes  to  a  description  of  the  process  is  in  the 
following  illustration,  drawn  from  his  experience  as  a  da- 
guerreotypist  in  his  early  years.] 

A  patient  comes  to  see  Dp.  Q.  He  renders  himself  absent 
to  everything  but  the  impression  of  the  patient's  feelings. 
These  are  quickly  daguerreotyped  on  him.  They  contain  no 
intelligence,  but  shadow  forth  a  reflection  of  themselves  which 
he  looks  at:  this  contains  the  disease  as  it  appears  to  the 
patient.  Being  confident  that  it  is  the  shadow  of  a  false 
idea,  he  is  not  afraid  of  it,  but  laughs  at  it.  Then  his  feel- 
ings in  regard  to  the  disease,  which  are  health  and  strength, 
are  daguerreotyped  on  the  receptive-plate  of  the  patient, 
which  also  throws  forth  a  shadow.  The  patient,  seeing  this 
shadow  of  the  disease  in  a  new  light,  gains  confidence.     This 


308  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

change  of  feeling  is  daguerreotyped  on  the  doctor  again,  and 
this  [new  impression]  also  throws  forth  a  shadow,  and  he  sees 
the  change  and  continues  to  treat  it  in  the  same  way.  So  the 
patient's  feelings  sympathize  with  his,  the  shadow  grows  dim, 
and  iinally  the  light  takes  its  place,  and  there  is  nothing  left 
of  the  disease.  [This  description  refers  to  the  successive 
intuitions  concerning  the  whole  individual,  the  error  to  be 
banished,  the  fears  to  be  overcome,  the  haunting  mental 
pictures  to  be  blotted  out;  and  the  picturing  of  the  Divine 
image  of  health,  made  concrete  by  Quimby's  great  power  of 
focussing  the  attention,  as  well  as  his  insight  into  the  causes 
on  which  he  based  the  explanation  following  the  silent  treat- 
ment. The  "receptive-plate"  of  the  patient  includes  part  of 
what  we  now  call  the  subconscious.  When  actual  changes 
were  wrought  the  patient  began  to  feel  the  benefit.  Then 
the  process  of  re-education  could  be  begun.  Quimby  judged 
by  the  ideal  or  "scientific"  man,  in  contrast  with  which  the 
patient's  own  idea  of  himself  as  a  sick  person  was  a  mere 
shadow.] 

TREATMENT    OP    A    CHILD 

To  show  the  effect  of  the  will  upon  the  mind  of  a  child, 
I  will  state  the  case  of  one  about  two  years  old  who  was 
brought  to  me  to  be  treated  for  lameness.  The  mother 
held  the  child  in  her  lap  and  informed  me  that  it  was  lame 
in  its  knee.  This  was  the  information  I  received  from  its 
mother;  but  when  I  sat  by  the  child  I  experienced  a  queer 
feeling  in  the  hip  and  groin,  but  no  bad  feelings  in  the 
knee.  I  told  the  mother  that  the  lameness  was  in  the  hip, 
and  that  I  would  show  her  how  the  child  walked,  and  how  it 
would  walk  were  it  lame  in  the  knee.  I  then  imitated 
the  walk  of  the  child,  and  also  showed  how  it  would  walk 
were  the  lameness  in  the  knee.  After  I  explained  the 
difference  to  her  the  mother  admitted  I  was  right. 

I  then  informed  her  that  to  cure  the  child's  lameness 
I  must  cure  her  (the  mother)  of  the  disease  which  was  in 
her  senses  [mind]  while  the  phenomenon  was  exhibited  in  the 
child.  She  said  the  doctor  told  her  the  disease  was  in  the 
knee,  and  ordered  it  splintered.  To  splinter  up  the  knee  and 
keep  it  from  bending  would  be  to  encourage  the  evil  in  the 
hip,  and  make  a  cripple  of  the  child.  I  was  obliged  to 
explain  away  the  doctor's  opinion.  When  I  suceeded  in 
doing  that,  it  changed  the  mother's  mind  so  much  that  when 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  309 

she  put  the  child  down  she  could  see  that  her  will  guided 
its  motion.  This  was  so  apparent  to  her  that  she  could  in 
some  measure  counteract  the  wrong  motion  of  the  child. 
With  my  own  wisdom  attaclied  to  the  child's  will  I  soon 
changed  the  mind  so  that  the  child  walked  much  better. 

THE  HEALING  PRINCIPLE 

It  is  an  undisputed  fact  that  Dr.  Quimby  cures  disease, 
and  that  without  any  medicine  or  outward  applications. 
How  does  he  do  it?  is  the  question  that  agitates  and  inter- 
ests the  people.  If  he  has  any  new  way  different  from  the 
mysterious  and  superstitious  mode  acknowledged  by  others 
who  have  appeared  to  cure  disease  by  personal  virtue  alone, 
what  is  it  ?     Where  does  he  get  his  power  ? 

He  denies  that  he  has  any  power  or  gift  superior  to  other 
men.  He  contends  that  he  operates  intelligently  under  the 
direction  of  a  Principle  which  is  always  his  guide  while  with 
the  sick.  He  follows  this  Principle  in  practice  and  theory, 
and  under  it  he  learns  facts  of  real  life  that  he  could  never 
get  in  any  other  way.  He  has  found  the  way  by  which  all 
errors  can  be  corrected.  .  .  . 

It  might  be  called  the  Principle  of  Goodness.  It  is  the 
highest  intelligence  that  operates  in  the  affairs  of  man, 
always  producing  harmony,  and  making  man  feel  that  he  has 
more  to  learn  and  is  a  progressive  being.  ...  It  has  been  his 
aim  to  develop  this  principle  in  relation  to  human  misery 
and  make  life  a  science.  The  cause  of  all  misery  is  in 
ignorance  of  ourselves,  and  in  proportion  as  he  develops 
this  higher,  happier  portion  of  mankind,  which  he  calls 
Science,  he  sees  through  the  miseries  and  the  ills,  and  just 
in  proportion  as  he  sees  througli  them  he  can  correct  them. 
.  .  .  With  a  knowledge  that  all  trouble  is  a  false  alarm  .  .  . 
he  proceeds  to  undermine  the  foundations,  and  the  structure 
gives  way.  However  well  established  are  the  facts  of  any 
disease,  he  believes  the  basis  all  wrong,  dependent  on  the 
opinions  of  men  for  an  existence.  ...  To  destroy  the  belief 
identified  with  a  patient's  feelings,  changes  the  mind,  and 
that  is  the  cure.  .  .  .  The  mind  is  something  and  embraces 
a  much  larger  compass  of  our  being  than  we  are  taught  to 
consider  it.  It  includes  all  opinions  and  [conventional] 
religion,  and  everything  about  us  which  can  change;  not 
that  part  which  is  seen  by  the  natural  eye,  but  that  which  acts 
upon  the  natural  man,    It  embraces  all  excitement  and  agita- 


310  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

tion,  and  all  the  variations  of  humanity.  ...  It  is  not  mat- 
ter that  comes  to  our  bodily  senses.  It  is  another  kind  which 
is  just  as  sensible  to  him  as  that  which  he  touches  with  his 
hands.  Around  every  one  is  an  atmosphere  of  intelligence 
which  contains  our  whole  identity,  and  he  has  become  so  sen- 
sitive to  that  atmosphere  that  its  existence  is  a  fact,  and 
with  that  he  operates.  [If  this  seems  to  imply  a  sixth  sense, 
the  answer  is  that  Dr.  Quimby  has  not]  found  any  one  faculty 
that  would  answer  to  a  "sense,"  but  he  has  refined  and  spirit- 
ualized those  faculties  which  mankind  exercise  toward  each 
other  till  he  has  arrived  at  the  true  way  of  communicating  with 
and  influencing  minds.  For  instance,  his  sympathy  for  his 
patients  is  pure  from  any  feeling  like  blame  or  contempt,  or 
discouragement,  and  is  a  transparency  to  reflect  their  feel- 
ings just  as  they  come  to  him,  with  light  from  a  higher 
source,  to  account  for  and  explain  them  to  the  patient,  and 
his   explanation    illumines   the   patient's   mind. 

How  does  he  know  he  has  got  hold  of  a  true  method? 
How  does  he  know  he  is  not  mistaken?  There  are  many 
reasons  which  confirm  his  method  as  a  science.  One  is  that 
he  constantly  improves  it.  He  finds  he  can  cure  more 
quickly,  and  harder  cases.  Then  as  he  explains  his  method 
to  others  and  they  understand  it  confirms  him.  .  .  .  Ad- 
mitting that  there  is  a  First  Cause  or  God,  it  is  not  so  hard 
to  demonstrate  that  Dr.  Quimby  knows  more  about  His 
wisdom  in  regard  to  health  .  .  .  and  unto  Him  he  gives 
all  the  glory.  He  knows  that  while  treating  disease  he  is 
purely  under  the  influence  of  the  highest  truth.  .  .  .  He 
knows  that  his  peculiar  belief  is  not  an  invention  of  his  own, 
for  it  is  contrary  to  what  as  a  natural  man  he  has  been  taught : 
it  rests  on  the  facts  of  his  own  experience  with  the  sick.  .  . 

HEALTH   AND   DISEASE 

Disease  is  that  part  of  the  mind  that  can  be  compared  to  a 
wilderness.  It  is  full  of  erroneous  opinions  and  false  ideas 
of  all  kinds,  and  it  opens  a  field  for  speculators  to  ex- 
plore. .  .  .  When  I  sit  by  a  sick  person  he  tells  me  the  story 
of  his  travels,  and  his  experience  of  the  evils  that  beset  him 
in  this  wilderness.  The  scientific  character  is  like  the  prodi- 
gal son,  it  desires  to  enter  this  land  of  mystery  to  see  what 
it  can  gain.  ...  As  health  is  the  thing  most  desired,  to  find 
out  how  to  keep  it  and  when  lost  how  to  restore  it,  is  the 
object  of  our  journey  into  this  territory. 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  311 

The  question  may  be  asked,  What  is  health  ?  I  know  of  no 
better  answer  than  this :  it  is  perfect  wisdom,  and  just  as  a 
man  is  wise  is  his  health;  but  as  no  man  is  perfectly  wise  no 
man  lias  perfect  heakh.  Ignorance  is  disease,  althougli  not 
accompanied  by  pain.  Pain  is  not  disease  itself,  but  is  what 
follows  disease.  According  to  my  theory,  disease  is  a  belief, 
and  where  there  is  no  fear  there  can  be  no  pain;  for  pain  is 
not  the  act  but  the  reaction  of  something  which  creates  pain. 

But,  says  some  one,  I  never  thought  of  pain  till  it  came. 
But  if  it  came  something  must  have  started  it.  Therefore 
it  must  be  an  effect,  whether  it  came  from  some  place  or 
from  ourselves.  I  take  the  ground  that  it  is  generated  in 
ourselves,  and  that  it  must  have  a  cause.  Every  one  knows 
that  in  his  natural  state  a  person  is  se  isitive  to  what  is  called 
pain,  and  if  his  sensitiveness  is  destroyed  he  shows  no  signs 
of  pain.  But  to  suppose  his  senses  are  destroyed  because  he 
feels  no  pain  is  not  correct:  his  senses  [or  consciousness] 
may  be  detached  from  his  body  and  attached  to  anotlier  idea, 
so  that  he  is  not  sensitive  to  any  effect  upon  the  body  which 
in  his  natural  state  would  give  him  pain.  This  shows  that 
pain  is  in  the  mind,  like  all  trouble,  though  the  cause  may  be 
in  the  belief  or  body. 

For  instance,  suppose  a  tumor  appears  on  the  body,  the 
person  feeling  no  sensation  or  trouble  from  it.  He  consults 
a  physician  who,  after  examining  it,  asks  the  man  if  he  has 
shooting  pains  and  hot  flashes.  The  man  says,  "No,  why 
do  you  ask  the  question?"  The  doctor  replies  that  it  looks 
like  a  cancer,  and  then  explains  the  nature  and  symptoms  of 
the  disease.  In  the  course  of  an  hour  the  man  feels  shooting 
pains.  Now  where  is  the  pain,  in  the  tumor,  or  in  the  belief 
in  a  cancer  ?  I  answer,  in  the  belief.  .  .  .  Error  gives  direc- 
tion to  the  mind,  and  a  cancer  is  formed  just  as  far  as  the 
belief  is  received  by  the  patient.  Every  thought  is  a  part  of 
a  person's  identity,  and  if  it  contains  a  belief  he  must  suffer 
the  penalty  of  his  acts ;  for  to  believe  is  to  act. 

LEARNING   TO   HEAL 

How  can  a  person  learn  to  cure  the  sick?  As  a  pupil  in 
mathematics  learns  to  work  out  a  problem.  Every  word  is 
supposed  to  have  a  meaning.  Now  words  are  like  nuts,  some 
are  full,  some  partially  full,  some  are  empty,  the  food  or 
wisdom  is  in  the  word,  and  if  the  word  contains  no  wisdom, 
then  it  is  like  husks  or  froth,  it  fails  to  satisfy  the  desire  of 


312  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

the  person  who  seeks  the  substance.  Natural  food  is  to  satisfy 
the  natural  man  and  spiritual  food  or  wisdom  is  to  satisfy 
the  inner  or  scientific  man.  The  child  before  it  begins  to 
know  is  fed  by  natural  food,  while  its  spiritual  food  is 
opinions  expressed  in  words.  Therefore  as  I  said,  words 
contain  more  or  less  truth;  all  are  not  full  and  some  are 
empty;  but  when  a  person  speaks  a  word  that  contains  the 
real  substance  and  applies  it  to  the  thing  spoken  of,  that  is 
what  is  called  the  bread  of  life  and  he  neither  hungers  nor 
thirsts  for  wisdom  in  regard  to  that.  The  sick  have  been 
deceived  by  false  words  and  have  fed  on  food  that  contains 
no  wisdom.  Hungry  and  thirsty  they  apply  to  strangers  for 
food ;  they  ask  for  health  or  the  bread  of  life  and  the  natural 
man  taking  bread  as  a  natural  substance,  brings  bread  to 
them,  but  their  state  of  mind  does  not  hunger  for  natural 
food,  therefore  to  them  it  is  a  stone. 

There  is  a  bread,  which  if  a  man  eat,  he  is  filled,  and  this 
bread  is  Christ  or  Science.  It  is  the  body  of  Christ.  Jesus 
says,  "whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood  hath 
eternal  life."  "For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed  and  my  blood  is 
drink."  The  Jews  of  His  days  were  like  the  scholars  of  the 
present  day.  Bread  is  bread,  and  blood  is  blood,  and  they 
say,  "how  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat?"  They  do 
not  understand  that  Wisdom  is  a  body  and  opinion  a  shadow. 
The  natural  man's  belief  is  his  body,  and  to  eat  and  drink 
the  world's  wisdom  is  to  eat  condemnation  or  disease. 

Now  I  will  illustrate  a  cure.  I  sit  down  by  a  sick  person 
and  you  also  sit  down,  I  feel  her  trouble  and  the  state  of  her 
mind,  and  find  her  faint  and  weary  for  the  want  of  wisdom. 
I  tell  her  what  she  calls  this  feeling  that  troubles  her,  and 
knowing  her  trouble  my  words  contain  food  that  you  know 
not  of.  My  words  are  words  of  wisdom  and  they  strengthen 
her,  while  if  you  should  speak  the  same  words  and  the  sound 
should  fall  on  the  natural  ear  precisely  as  mine,  they  would 
be  only  empty  sounds  and  the  sick  would  derive  no  nourish- 
ment from  them. 

I  will  describe  this  food  that  you  may  taste  it  and  be  wiser 
for  your  meal.  In  order  to  prove  that  food  satisfies  a  person's 
hunger,  I  must  find  a  person  who  is  hungry,  and  in  order  to 
prove  that  my  words  satisfy  the  sick,  I  must  take  one  who 
hungers  and  thirsts  for  the  bread  of  life  or  health.  Being 
weak  and  faint  from  exhaustion  she  applied  to  a  physician  for 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  313 

food  to  satisfy  her  desire,  for  she  was  famished  for  the  want 
of  wisdom  in  regard  to  her  trouble.  Instead  of  giving  her 
wisdom  which  would  have  satisfied  her,  he  in  his  ignorance 
gave  her  these  words  full  of  poison.  "Your  trouble  is  a 
cancer  in  the  breast."  As  she  received  these  words  she  became 
more  faint  and  exhausted  till  she  became  sick  at  her  stomach. 
She  ate  of  this  poisonous  food  till  seeds  of  misery  began  to 
agitate  the  matter,  the  idea  began  to  form  and  a  bunch 
appeared  in  the  breast.  As  she  attached  the  name  cancer 
to  the  bunch  the  name  and  the  bunch  became  one  body. 
The  physician's  words  contained  the  poison,  the  poison  pro- 
duced the  bunch,  their  ignorance  associated  the  name  with 
the  bunch  and  called  it  cancer. 

I  was  called  to  see  the  lady  and  being  perfectly  ignorant 
of  her  trouble,  I  felt  the  faint  and  hungry  feeling  and  as  I 
felt  the  effect  of  the  doctor's  food  or  opinions  on  her,  I 
said,  The  food  you  eat  does  not  nourish  you,  it  gives  you  a 
pain  in  the  breast.  This  I  said  in  reference  to  the  way  she 
reasoned  in  regard  to  her  trouble. 

"How  do  you  know?"  said  she.  I  then  told  her  that  she 
thought  her  trouble  was  a  cancer  and  she  admitted  that  it 
was  so.  I  then  told  her  she  had  no  cancer  except  what  she 
made  herself.  I  will  admit  the  swelling,  said  I,  but  it  is 
of  your  own  make.  You  received  the  seed  from  the  doctor, 
and  he  prepared  the  mind  or  matter  for  its  growth,  but  the 
fruit  is  the  work  of  the  medical  faculty. 

Let  us  see  how  much  the  idea  cancer  exists  in  truth.  The 
name  exists  before  the  bunch,  then  the  bunch  before  it  ap- 
peared must  have  been  in  the  mind,  for  it  was  not  in  sight 
when  the  word  was  first  applied  to  it,  or  when  you  were 
first  told  that  you  had  one. 

You  know  that  you  can  be  affected  by  another  mind.  Now 
I  wish  to  show  you  that  every  phenomenon  that  takes  form 
in  the  human  body  is  first  conceived  in  the  mind.  Some  sen- 
sation is  felt  which  we  cannot  account  for,  we  then  conjure 
up  some  idea  which  we  create  into  a  belief,  and  soon  it  is 
condensed  into  a  form  and  a  name  given  to  it.  Then  every 
phenomenon  taking  the  name  of  disease,  is  a  pattern  of  some 
falsf  idea  started  without  the  least  foundation  in  truth. 

Ndw,  this  bunch  I  call  a  phenomenon,  for  I  cannot  call  it  a 
cancer,  because  if  I  do  I  admit  a  thing  outside  of  the  mind. 
Thf;  senses  are  the  man  independent  of  flesh,  that  is  one 


314  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

thing,  the  word  cancer  is  another.  Now,  I  want  to  find  the 
matter  that  the  word  is  applied  to.  To  say  a  thing  exists 
and  to  prove  its  existence  are  two  different  things.  If  any 
doctor  will  tell  where  that  cancer  was  before  it  was  in  sight, 
I  will  ask  him  how  he  knows.  Let  him  say  it  was  in  the 
blood,  that  the  state  of  the  blood  indicates  the  presence  of 
cancerous  humor. 

Now,  do  you  deny  that  I  told  your  feelings?  "Certainly 
not."  Then  have  I  a  cancerous  humor?  "By  no  means." 
Then  there  is  no  wisdom  in  that  argument.  Again,  he  never 
knew  you  had  an  ill-feeling  till  you  told  him.  Then  where 
did  he  get  his  knowledge?  Not  from  you  for  you  never 
thought  of  a  cancer.  It  must  have  been  from  what  you  said 
about  your  pain.  Suppose  I  had  said  that  I  felt  these  same 
pains  and  you  had  kept  your  peace,  then  according  to  his 
theory  I  must  have  a  cancerous  humor.  Now,  I  know  that  I 
have  no  humor  nor  had  I  an  idea  or  pain  till  I  sat  by  you, 
therefore  his  story  of  a  cancer  is  a  lie  made  out  of  whole  cloth, 
without  the  least  shadow  of  truth.  It  is  like  the  stories  of 
Sinbad  the  Sailor,  or  some  witch  fables  that  have  no  exist- 
ence in  truth.  Then  you  will  ask,  what  is  this  bunch?  It 
is  a  bunch  of  solid  matter,  not  a  ghost  or  any  invisible  thing, 
but  it  was  made  by  yourself,  and  no  one  else. 

I  will  tell  you  how  you  made  it.  You  remember  I  spoke 
of  your  having  a  heat.  This  heat  contained  no  good  or  ill, 
but  it  was  a  mere  decomposition  of  your  body  brought  about 
by  some  little  excitement.  It  troubled  you,  then  your  super- 
stitious fear  of  disease  began  to  haunt  you  in  your  sleep, 
creating  an  action  in  the  part  of  your  breast  where  the  error 
had  made  a  stand.  You  commenced  then  to  foster  the  idea 
till  at  last  you  have  excited  the  muscles  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  bunch  has  appeared.  If  now  I  have  proved  the 
cure  I  have  affected  it  and  the  bunch  will  disappear. 

Do  you  wish  to  know  why?  "Yes."  Can  the  effect  re- 
main when  the  cause  is  removed?  "I  presume  not."  How 
do  you  feel?  "I  feel  easy."  How  do  you  feel  in  regard 
to  your  trouble,  and  in  regard  to  what  I  have  said?  "I 
think  you  are  right,  and  it  looks  more  reasonable  than  the 
doctor's  story."  Then  your  senses  have  left  his  opinion  and 
have  come  to  my  wisdom.  This  is  the  new  birth,  you  nave 
risen  from  the  dead  and  you  are  free  from  the  doctor's  ideas. 
This  truth  has  destroyed  death,  and  brought  life  and  health 


DISEASE  AND  HEALINO  315 

through  Science.  Now,  I  say  unto  you,  Take  up  your  bed 
or  this  Truth  and  go  your  way,  and  when  the  night  of  error 
comes  spread  out  the  garment  of  Wisdom  that  enfolded 
Jesus,  and  wrap  yourself  in  its  folds  or  Truth,  till  the  sun 
of  Life  shall  shine  upon  your  body,  and  you  rise  free  from  the 
evils  of  the  old  belief.^ 

STRENGTH 

What  is  strength?  This  question  sounds  as  though  it 
might  be  easily  answered,  but  on  consideration  it  is  not  so 
easy.  Words  are  so  misused  that  it  is  impossible  to  get  at 
the  original  meaning,  feeling  or  state  when  the  word  was 
introduced.  If  you  choose  to  apply  the  word  strength  to 
machinery,  then  I  have  no  fault  to  find  with  the  definition, 
but  if  it  is  applied  to  man  also  the  definition  is  wrong;  for 
man's  strength  is  in  his  will,  and  that  is  independent  of 
the  thing  you>  call  "strong."  If  you  say,  "that  is  a  strong 
lever,"  then  it  does  not  include  the  force  that  is  applied  to 
it.  If  the  person  who  first  used  the  word  applied  it  to  his 
wisdom  as  a  powerful  intellect,  then  it  will  only  apply  where 
there  is  intellect,  the  quality  of  which  is  taken  into  account. 
This  confusion  of  meaning  makes  a  great  deal  of  trouble, 
for  we  put  intelligence  into  everything  that  has  resistance 
instead  of  in  the  intelligence  having  the  strength.  A  man's 
legs  are  a  combined  lever,  and  if  you  mean  that  they  have 
strength  you  might  as  well  say  that  a  lever  has  strength,  for 
one  is  as  much  alive  as  the  other  and  neither  of  itself  can 
do  anything. 

The  word  strength  does  not  convey  the  author's  feelings 
when  he  made  the  expression.  He  either  meant  to  apply  it 
to  wisdom  or  to  matter.  If  the  author  meant  to  give  a  name 
to  the  phenomenon  called  will,  then  it  makes  a  vast  difference 
in  reasoning  about  strength.  For  instance,  a  person  is  "weak" 
in  the  back  or  limbs.  Now  the  medical  faculty  prescribe 
strengthening  linaments,  as  tliough  there  were  intelligence 
in  the  medicine  and  it  imparted  strength  to  the  weak  part. 
This  absurd  idea  is  carried  out  through  all  our  lives,  and  it 
deprives  man  of  the  true  wisdom  tliat  might  make  him  happy 
and  intelligent. 

My  theory  disproves  the  assertion,  for  I  have  seen  that  the 

11864 


316  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

word  strength  is  a  mere  word  with  no  more  meaning  than 
to  lead  man  astray. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  medical  science  is  based  on  tliis 
word  strength.  This  or  that  thing  is  said  to  give  a  person 
strength.  In  the  case  of  a  fever  the  whole  invention  of  the 
medical  faculty  is  brought  to  play  to  discover  some  medicine 
that  will  give  strength.  The  chemist  is  employed  to  discover 
the  chemical  properties  which  such  and  such  things  contain, 
and  numberless  articles  are  said  to  contain  strengthening  vir- 
tue. The  food  is  strengthening,  the  air  is  strengthening  and 
you  can  find  no  end  to  the  strengthening  things  given  to 
the  sick,  and  all  the  while  they  are  growing  weaker. 

Every  one  knows  that  a  horse  is  stronger  than  a  man,  it 
cannot  be  the  food,  for  a  man  fed  on  grass  would  die  accord- 
ing to  our  belief,  while  the  animal  will  live,  and  so  he  will 
live  on  the  same  food  as  man  and  still  grow  no  stronger. 
Man  puts  the  construction  on  the  word  to  suit  himself.  If 
the  power  applied  to  man's  will  is  called  strength;  the  thing 
that  will  is  applied  to  is  not  called  strong.  You  may  ask 
what  this  has  to  do  with  the  curing  of  disease.  I  will  tell 
you,  for  it  is  the  very  thing  to  correct.  There  is  such  a  term 
as  resistance  and  this  is  opposed  to  strength.  For  instance, 
you  wish  to  raise  a  stone,  the  wish  that  wants  to  raise  a  stone 
is  one  thing,  and  the  stone  is  another.  If  wisdom  chooses 
to  apply  its  strength  through  the  arms  its  motive  or  will  is 
applied  according  to  the  idea  of  resistance.  If  a  horse  is 
attached  to  a  dead  weight  it  applies  its  will  or  strength  and 
if  it  fails  it  makes  another  effort  to  overcome  the  resistance. 
Strength  is  intelligence;  it  embraces  all  man's  wisdom,  and 
if  his  wisdom  is  of  God  or  Science  his  strength  is  not  in 
himself,  and  to  be  wise  is  to  be  strong. 

I  will  illustrate  my  idea  of  strength  as  I  apply  it  to  the 
sick.  When  I  use  the  word  I  couple  it  with  skill.  These 
two  are  governed  either  by  natural  wisdom  or  scientific  wis- 
dom. I  will  state  a  case  of  my  own  experience.  I  treated  a 
man  who  had  lost  the  use  of  his  lower  limbs,  he  could  not 
move  them  when  he  was  sitting  in  his  chair.  The  doctor 
called  it  spinal  affection.  When  he  attempted  to  rise  he  had 
not  strength  enough  in  his  spine  to  keep  his  body  erect,  he 
would  give  out  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  and  this  took  all  the 
power  from  his  legs.  This  was  the  doctor's  theory  and  the 
man  believed  it  and  applied  his  will  or  strength  according 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  317 

to  his  wisdom.  His  hope  was  cut  off.  He  believed  the  spine 
was  diseased  and  so  did  all  his  friends  and  physicians. 

According  to  my  theory  his  body  was  like  the  weight  to 
be  moved,  his  will  or  strength  was  applied  to  his  body  just 
as  it  would  be  to  a  lever  which  you  believed  would  break  if 
you  applied  too  much  power  to  it;  his  reason  directed  the 
power,  and  being  deceived  he  could  do  nothing.  To  cure 
him,  or  make  his  legs  strong  and  his  spine  well,  was  to  first 
convince  him  that  there  never  was  any  strength  in  the  idea 
body,  that  strength  came  from  some  other  source. 

Every  one  knows  that,  the  will  being  put  into  action, 
an  effect  is  produced  called  strength.  For  instance,  a  person 
by  the  power  of  his  will  can  hold  another.  What  is  the  grasp  ? 
Strength,  or  is  it  the  will  applied  to  the  hand?  No  one 
supposes  that  the  hand  would  catch  hold  and  grasp  unless 
directed  by  another  power.  This  power  is  the  will  governed 
by  the  wisdom  and  the  effect  is  called  strength.  Strength 
is  the  name  of  the  act,  so  will  without  an  act  or  motive  is 
no  will  or  strength  and  availeth  nothing.  So  to  sit  till  his 
legs  grew  strong  would  be  as  absurd  as  to  make  a  steam 
engine  and  after  it  was  ready  to  work  sit  and  wait  till  the 
wood  made  its  own  fire,  its  steam,  and  let  its  steam  on  to  the 
piston  head.  For  a  man  that  has  lost  his  strength  to  sit 
still  and  wait  for  it  to  come  is  just  as  absurd  as  to  prepare 
a  clay  bin  and  then  wait  for  it  to  make  a  vessel.  Such  an 
idea  of  strength  is  so  absurd  that  it  takes  away  a  man's 
reasoning  faculties.  Let  man  know  that  this  darkness  is 
the  want  of  right  direction  to  his  ambition,  then  his  strength 
is  in  putting  his  will  into  action,  both  are  the  result  of  his 
wisdom.  Destroy  a  man's  prospects  and  happiness,  and  you 
destroy  his  strength.  So  as  you  rouse  his  ambition  and  will, 
his  strength  comes.  The  course  taken  by  the  medical  fac- 
ulty in  their  mode  of  reasoning  destroys  man's  natural  powers 
and  makes  him  a  mere  tool  in  the  hands  of  a  quack.  Every 
man  who  reasons  that  strength  can  be  made  by  food,  air,  or 
rubbing,  or  any  linament,  is  a  fool,  although  he  may  be 
honest. 

I  have  tried  the  experiment  and  know.  I  do  not  guess  at 
it  when  I  say  that  there  is  not  one  particle  of  virtue  in  any 
sort  of  medicine  that  people  take  to  give  them  strength. 
Neither  is  there  any  kind  of  strength  in  one  kind  of  food 
more  than  another,  but  it  may  be  all  summed  up  in  this,  the 


Sis  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

gratification  of  man's  desires  embraces  all  there  is  of  him, 
and  these  vary  according  to  circumstances.  All  men  have  a 
desire  for  happiness,  and  this  desire  creates  an  appetite,  and 
the  desire  wants  to  be  gratified.  This  brings  up  this  feeling 
[activity]  called  will,  and  then  it  is  forced  on  by  wisdom  to 
accomplish  a  desire.  The  wants  of  the  animal  are  limited, 
therefore  it  is  lively  and  happy,  for  it  acts  according  to  its 
will.  It  is  often  said  that  the  beasts  are  sick.  Granted,  but 
man  takes  their  freedom  from  them  as  well  as  from  the 
human  species.  Let  both  be  wild  and  you  see  a  bold  race. 
Look  at  the  uncultivated  savage  and  you  will  not  see  him 
creeping  around  as  though  he  had  done  some  mean,  dirty  act, 
like  the  civilized  man.  Of  all  mean  looking  things  a  human 
being  completely  under  the  medical  faculty  is  the  lowest, 
he  is  as  much  a  slave  as  the  negro  at  the  South,  and  in  fact 
more  so.  Look  at  a  sick  woman  suffering  from  some  opinion 
that  the  doctors  have  made  her  believe,  see  the  mind  com- 
pletely under  the  doctor,  she  is  not  allowed  to  eat  or  drink  or 
even  walk  or  think  except  as  the  family  physician  gives  direc- 
tion. The  sick  have  given  their  souls  to  the  priests  and 
their  bodies  to  the  physicians.  They  then  tell  about  the  good 
doctor,  how  much  he  has  done  for  them,  showing  that  he  has 
deprived  them  of  all  noble  manly  feelings,  left  them  sick, 
feeble  in  mind  and  body,  while  the  doctor  struts  around  like 
a  slave-driver,  and  the  sick  curl  under  the  lash  of  their  tongue, 
as  the  negroes  under  the  lash  of  their  masters.  This  may 
seem  strange,  but  it  is  God's  truth,  that  the  sick  are  a  mere 
tool  in  the  hands  of  the  medical  faculty,  to  be  treated  just 
as  they  please.  It  never  will  be  any  better  till  the  sick  rise 
in  their  wisdom  and  declare  their  independence.  You  may 
say  I  am  making  war  for  my  own  gain,  but  I  think  I  can 
convince  any  one  who  is  out  from  under  these  slave  drivers, 
that  I  could  make  ten  dollars  where  I  now  make  one.  My 
object  is  to  raise  my  fellow  man  to  his  original  state.  I  am 
a  white  abolitionist.  The  blacks  it  is  true  are  slaves,  but 
their  slavery  is  a  blessing  compared  with  that  of  the  sick. 
I  have  seen  many  a  white  slave  that  would  change  places  with 
the  black.  The  only  difference  is  that  white  slavery  is  sanc- 
tioned by  public  opinion.  But  make  the  slave  know  that  he 
is  one,  and  you  will  see  a  difference  in  the  result.  It  is  hard 
for  me  to  keep  myself  in  bounds  when  I  think  of  the  groans 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  319 

of  the  sick,  knowing  that  it  is  all  the  effect  of  a  superstitious 
ignorance.  Does  not  the  South  quote  the  Bible  to  prove  that 
slavery  is  of  Divine  origin?  Do  not  the  priests  and  doctors 
quote  the  old  heathen  superstition  to  bolster  up  a  weak  and 
feeble  edifice  just  ready  to  crumble  and  crush  the  leaders? 
Is  not  Science  raising  her  voice  and  crying  aloud  to  the  people 
saying  how  long  shall  it  be  till  the  old  heathen  idolatry  shall 
come  to  an  end  and  man  shall  learn  wisdom  and  be  hjs  own 
master  and  not  a  slave  ?  ^ 

MIND  AND  DISEASE 

Men  create  ideas  which  are  matter.  These  ideas  have  a 
real  existence  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  their  power  is  ac- 
cording to  the  nature  that  is  attributed  to  them,  and  the  fear 
that  men  have  of  them.  Fear  of  an  idea  thus  created,  on 
the  part  of  its  creator,  condenses  its  matter  so  that  it  might 
be  seen  even  by  the  natural  eye,  a  creation  composed  of  the 
loathsome  characteristics  conceived  of  by  the  person's  own 
belief,  an  offspring  of  an  excited  and  degraded  mind.  Such 
an  idea  is  disease,  the  child  of  the  devil.  This  disease  was 
first  one  simple,  uncompounded  idea.  But  when  that  finally 
was  pushed  into  an  identity,  when  men  were  once  afraid  of 
it,  then  it  grew  rapidly,  like  a  poisonous  weed,  and  derived 
its  sustenance  from  the  very  life-blood  to  which  it  owed  its 
existence.  All  its  horrible  characteristics  it  draws  from  the 
mind  of  men,  who,  could  they  only  understand  what  they  are 
doing,  would  plant  a  good  seed  in  their  soil  or  mind,  which 
could  bear  no  fruit  fit  for  disease  to  live  on,  and  thus  it 
would  starve  to  death.  ...  As  mind  is  matter,  its  form  can 
be  annihilated. 

The  basis  of  Dr.  Quimby's  theory  is  that  there  is  no  intelli- 
gence, no  power  or  action  in  matter  of  itself,  that  the  spiritual  i 
world  to  which  our  eyes  are  closed  by  ignorance  or  unbelief  | 
is  the  real  world,  that  in  it  lie  all  the  causes  for  every  effect  j 
visible  in  the  natural  world,  and  that  if  this  spiritual  life  can  1 
be  revealed  to  us,  in  other  words  if  we  can  understand  our-  | 
selves,  we  shall  then  have  our  happiness  or  misery  in  our 
OM-n  hands ;  and  of  course  much  of  the  suffering  of  the  world 
will  be  done  away  with. 

He  does  not  deny  that  cures,  as  many  and  great  as  you 

iNov.,   1861. 


320  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

please  to  claim,  have  taken  place  under  the  old  belief,  but 
that  they  were  brought  about  by  the  inherent  efficacy  of  the 
medicine  itself  he  does  deny. 

He  admits  the  possibility  of  a  derangement  of  the  bodily 
organs,  but  it  is  in  regard  to  the  cause  of  this  effect  that  he 
differs  from  all  others.  Doctors  consider  the  cause  of  disease 
to  lie  in  the  body,  while  he  does  not.  The  doctors  have  set 
up  a  standard  of  right  and  wrong  with  regard  to  health,  and 
have  made  the  people  accept  and  believe  it,  and  now  disease 
comes  from  the  belief  in  this. 

When  our  belief  embraces  disease,  we  must  be  liable  to  it. 
Consumption  will  be  in  the  world  as  long  as  people  are  under 
their  present  rulers.  But  when  they  come  to  understand 
that  matter  is  nothing  of  itself  except  it  be  used  by  mind, 
and  everything  that  is  embraced  in  this,  then  consumption 
will  no  longer  be  in  existence. 

It  is  hard  to  talk  about  it  before  the  science  is  admit- 
ted. ...  It  is  nothing  more  than  or  less  than  the  Christian 
religion  rendered  intelligible  by  being  revealed  as  a  Science. 

Happiness  is  not  dependent  on  externals,  but  lies  within 
us,  and  is  the  consciousness  of  keeping  our  loftier  impulses 
free  from  contamination,  and  revealing  in  our  acts  a  strength 
which  arises  from  uncorrupted  motives. 

Disease  is  the  effect  of  a  wrong  direction  given  to  the  mind. 
Unhappiness  is  its  handmaid. 

By  "spiritual  matter"  Dr.  Quimby  does  not  mean  the 
matter  which  is  visible  to  the  natural  eve,  but  a  matter  which 
can  be  changed  into  any  form  which  a  person  chooses.  This 
mind  or  matter  surrounds  every  person,  and  contains  an 
expression  of  character.  You  know  how  often  in  sitting 
down  by  a  person  we  have  different  impressions.  For  in- 
stance, we  say  such  a  person  is  disagreeable,  another  is  gentle, 
a  third  selfish;  and  these  impressions  we  have  without  being 
able  to  account  for  them  in  any  way  to  ourselves  or  others. 
We  should  have  had  the  same  if  we  had  been  blind.  Now 
that  which  we  perceive  without  the  aid  of  the  natural  senses 
is  the  mind  or  spiritual  matter,  or  atmosphere  or  vapor,  or 
whatever  you  choose  to  call  it,  that  surrounds  every  one  and 
is  an  index  of  character.  This  is  what  we  come  in  contact 
with  in  our  intercourse  with  men,  and  through  this  medium 
we  influence  others  and  are  influenced  ourselves.     It  con- 


DISEASE  AND  HEALING  321 

tains  opinions,  thoughts,  and  everything  in  us  which  can  be 
dianged. 

What  we  know  we  have  no  opinion  about.  That  is  eternal 
and  never  can  be  changed.  What  we  do  not  know,  if  we  have 
ever  been  excited  on  the  subject,  wo  have  some  opinion  or 
belief  about,  and  that  opinion  or  belief  may  be  the  cause  of 
unhappiness. 

In  order  that  a  disease  shall  be  created,  a  shock  must  first 
be  produced.  You  cannot  move  anything  unless  you  first 
start  it.  There  must  be  a  shock,  be  it  ever  so  slight,  a  little 
excitement,  fright,  pleasure,  anything  which  would  produce  a 
disturbance  in  the  system.  When  thus  disturbed,  the  natural 
heat  of  the  body  always  either  increases  or  diminishes.  Sup- 
pose you  turn  red.  A  stranger  meets  you  and  says  you  look 
flushed.  That  would  not  be  likely  to  take  down  your  color 
but  would  increase  it.  After  two  or  three  remarks  of  that 
kind  you  would  begin  to  feel  uncomfortable,  your  head 
would  feel  hot,  and  the  heat  might  be  so  great  that  you 
would  have  pain,  and  presently  you  would  be  informed  that 
you  look  feverish.  That  would  keep  up  the  excitement, 
and  when  you  went  out  of  doors  you  would  be  likely  to  cough 
from  the  irritation  caused  by  the  upward  tendency  of  the  heat. 
That  would  frighten  you  a  little,  though  you  might  not  own 
it  or  know  it.  But  the  disturbance  would  keep  up  till  some 
kind  friend  should  inform  you  that  you  had  taken  cold,  for 
your  face  was  flushed  and  you  coughed.  That,  mind  you, 
is  an  opinion,  for  a  person  may  flush  and  cough  from  excite- 
ment without  any  cold  at  all.  Now  you  only  need  a  little 
help  from  mistaken  friends  and  a  finishing  touch  from  a  doc- 
tor to  put  you  into  a  lung,  brain,  or  any  other  kind  of  fever 
they  please.  That,  to  use  a  very  simple  case,  is  the  way  a 
disease  is  made. 

The  countless  opinions  we  are  brought  up  with,  and  believe 
as  much  as  we  do  in  our  existence,  of  course  affect  us,  and 
we  have  a  body  according  to  our  belief.  The  belief  comes 
first,  then  the  system  changes  accordingly. 

Even  before  the  child  is  born,  it  is  affected  by  the  mother, 
and  receives  its  mental  and  physical  constitution  from  her. 
After  it  has  taken  up  existence  on  its  own  account,  it  is  still 
affected  by  her,  whether  she  speaks  or  not.  The  greater  num- 
ber of  influences  which  act  upon  us  do  not  come  through  the 


322  DISEASE  AND  HEALING 

natural  senses,  and  are  all  the  more  dangerous  of  course  be- 
cause unknown. 

One  object  of  Dr.  Quimby's  theory  is  to  bring  our  spirit- 
ual existence  to  our  senses,  or  rather  to  prove  that  our  senses 
are  not  located  in  the  body  as  we  think  they  are.  Thus  we 
shall  be  able  to  protect  ourselves. 

By  thoughts  we  are  all  affected,  and  even  by  the  settled 
opinions  of  people,  whether  they  trouble  themselves  to  apply 
them  to  our  case  or  not. 

Dr.  Quimby  never  accuses  any  one  of  imagining  that  they 
are  sick.  He  admits  every  sensation  that  a  person  may 
claim.  Indeed  he  takes  their  feelings  himself,  so  he  has 
positive  proof  that  they  exist  independently  of  what  the 
patient  says. 

You  tell  me  I  **look  sick."  I  say  I  do  not  feel  sick,  in 
fact  I  don't  know  what  you  mean  by  the  word,  so  you  have 
to  invent  some  story  to  tell  me  or  explain  by  some  intelligent 
sign.  I  lay  my  hand  on  my  left  side,  you  ask  me  what  I 
feel.  Now  if  I  had  never  heard  of  sickness  or  disease,  I 
should  not  know  what  to  say,  neither  would  I  be  frightened, 
so  it  would  pass  off  without  anything  of  any  account.  But 
you  tell  me  that  people  often  die  with  just  such  a  feeling  as 
I  have.  This  starts  me,  although  I  have  no  idea  what  you 
mean,  my  feelings  not  containing  danger  or  trouble,  but  your 
opinions  trouble  me  exceedingly.  I  begin  now  to  twist  and 
turn,  not  knowing  what  to  do.  This  convinces  you  that  I 
have  disease  of  the  heart  and  you  try  to  explain  to  me  what 
I  have  and  how  it  affects  a  person.  By  mesmerizing  me 
into  your  belief  you  disturb  my  mind  and  create  the  very  idea 
you  have  invented,  and  at  last  I  die  just  as  you  foretold. 
All  this  is  disease  and  you  made  it.  If  I  had  never  seen  you 
nor  any  one  wiser  than  myself  I  should  not  have  died. 


XVII 

GOD  AND   MAN 

What  is  disease  ?  This  question  involves  much  speculative 
reasoning.  Some  suppose  that  disease  is  independent  of 
man ;  some  think  it  is  a  punishment  from  God  for  the  wrongs 
of  our  first  parents;  others  that  it  comes  from  disobeying  the 
laws  of  God.  Now  let  us  analyze  the  above  and  see  if  there 
is  any  truth  in  these  statements.  If  there  were  not  a  living 
creature  on  earth  then  there  could  not  be  any  disease. 
Otherwise  disease  must  have  had  an  existence  before  man  was 
created,  and,  if  so,  God  created  it  for  some  purpose.  Ac- 
cording to  man's  reasoning  disease  is  his  enemy  and  if  God 
created  an  enemy  to  destroy  man,  God  cannot  be  man's  friend 
as  is  thought.  Thus  the  idea  that  a  benevolent  God  had 
anything  to  do  with  disease  is  a  superstition;  then  the  ques- 
tion comes  up  again,  where  does  it  come  from?  I  answer, 
it  does  not  come,  it  is  created,  not  by  God,  but  by  man. 

We  have  not  a  true  idea  of  God.  God  is  not  a  man  any 
more  than  man  is  a  Principle.  When  we  speak  of  God  we 
are  taught  to  believe  in  a  Person,  so  we  attach  our  ideas  to  a 
Person  called  God  and  then  talk  about  His  laws  and  the 
violation  of  them  is  said  to  be  our  trouble.  How  often  we 
hear  these  words :  "If  a  man  would  obey  all  the  laws  of  God  he 
would  never  be  sick."  But  the  acknowledgment  of  the  error 
is  the  cause  of  nine-tenths  of  our  sickness.  When  God's  law 
is  [deemed]  so  severe  that  man  is  liable  to  be  put  into  prison 
for  committing  an  act  or  even  thinking  a  thought  not  in  ac- 
cord with  the  law,  it  is  no  wonder  people  murmur  and  com- 
plain.    The  Christian's  God  ig  a  tyrant  of  the  worst  kind. 

God  is  the  name  of  a  man's  belief  and  our  senses  are  at- 
tached to  our  opinions  about  our  belief  or  God.  The  God  of 
the  savages  is  their  belief;  the  God  of  the  Mohammedans  is 
their  belief,  and  so  on  to  the  Christian's  God.  The  Christ- 
ian's God  like  themselves  is  like  a  house  divided  against  it- 
self. The  God  of  the  North  and  the  God  of  the  South  are  as 
much  at  war  as  the  Christian  worshippers ;  each  prays  to  God 
for  help  and  each  condemns  the  otlier.    Thus  it  is  plain  that 

323 


324  QOD  AND  MAN 

gods  of  this  kind  are  a  farce  and  all  our  worship  of  such  is 
from  a  superstitious  fear  of  a  tyrant  whose  name  we  dare 
not  take  in  vain. 

The  time  will  come  when  the  true  God  will  be  worshipped 
in  spirit  and  truth,  for  God  is  a  Spirit  and  not  a  man. 
Wisdom  is  the  sower  and  God  the  vineyard,  and  as  man  is 
made  in  the  image  of  God  his  [inner]  mind  is  spirit  and  re- 
ceives the  seed  of  Wisdom. 

Wisdom  has  no  laws,  it  is  the  true  light.  The  law  of  man 
is  the  invention  of  evil  thoughts.  In  proportion  as  Wisdom 
is  in  us  the  law  is  dead.  So  to  1)e  wise  is  to  be  dead  to  the 
law,  for  law  is  man's  belief  and  Wisdom  is  of  God  or  Science. 
Now  if  we  could  understand  the  true  idea  of  causes  and  ef- 
fects, we  could  learn  where  the  true  cause  of  disease  origi- 
nated. 

Man  has  invented  a  God  according  to  his  belief  so  that 
God  is  the  embodiment  of  man's  belief.  As  man's  belief 
changes  so  his  God  changes,  but  the  true  God  never  changes. 
So  the  wisdom  of  man  condensed  into  a  being  called  God  is 
set  up  for  the  ignorant  to  worship,  and  as  all  men  have  been 
made  to  acknowledge  what  they  have  no  proof  of  the  idea  of  a 
personal  God  is  received,  so  that  no  one  questions  the  identity 
of  such  a  being.  This  God  was  made  up  for  the  wisdom  of 
the  heathen  world  and  we  have  revered  and  worshipped  it  not 
from  love,  but  from  fear.  Its  only  opponent  is  Science,  so  as 
Science  enters  this  God  gives  way,  but  not  without  a  struggle. 
The  true  God  is  not  acknowledged  by  this  man's  God,  but  it 
is  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  working  like  leaven  till  it  leav- 
ens the  whole  lump.  It  is  called  by  the  children  of  this  world 
of  opinions  infidelity.  So  to  be  an  infidel  is  to  question  the 
God  of  man's  opinions.  Jesus  saw  through  all  this  hypocrisy, 
that  the  God  of  the  heathen  was  not  the  God  of  peace,  but  of 
war,  and  this  same  God  is  worshipped  now  as  then.  He  is 
called  on  now  [1861]  more  than  he  has  been  since  the  Amer- 
ican revolution.  He  is  the  most  convenient  God  I  know  of. 
He  listens  to  the  North  and  the  South  and  leads  their  men  on 
to  battle  and  from  the  prayers  of  his  followers  is  as  much 
interested  in  the  victory  as  the  winning  party.  All  this  sort 
of  cant  is  kept  up  with  a  certain  solemnity  of  form  as  though 
there  were  real  truth  in  it.  But  the  time  will  come  when  all 
this  must  give  way  to  a  higher  worship,  for  it  is  a  vain  wor- 
ship that  shows  itself  in  every  church  in  Christendom.     They 


QOD  AND  MAN  325 

worship  they  know  not  what.  This  false  idea  is  the  founda- 
tion on  wliich  the  Christian  world  stands  and  the  waters  that 
flow  from  this  fountain  are  corrupt,  for  where  the  foundation 
is  corrupt  the  stream  is  also.  When  the  angel  of  truth  dis- 
turbs the  waters  they  throw  forth  every  kind  of  corruption, 
this  poisons  the  minds  of  the  multitudes  and  makes  them  sick. 
The  true  wisdom  like  Science  explains  away  this  earthly  God 
and  brings  man  into  a  more  happy  state  where  opinions  give 
way  to  facts. 

1.  In  the  preceding  article  I  asked  the  question,  what  is 
disease?  And  in  that  I  gave  the  cause.  Now  I  will  describe 
how  it  is  brought  about  and  the  cure.  I  said  that  God  was 
the  embodiment  of  man's  belief  or  opinions.  These  opinions 
have  been  forced  on  man  like  burdens,  till  the  people  have 
had  to  yield  to  their  weight  and  make  the  best  of  it.  Yet 
they  murmur  and  complain  but  dare  not  raise  their  voice  in 
support  of  the  God  of  wisdom.  Opinions  of  themselves  have 
no  element  of  adhesion,  therefore  their  life  depends  on  coer- 
cion. So  laws  are  established  and  penalties  attached  and  if 
the  people  grumt)le,  laws  and  penalties  are  applied,  sanctioned 
by  God,  and  you  are  told  of  the  laws  of  God,  while  this  same 
God  is  only  the  embodiment  of  their  opinions  reduced  to  a 
law.  Disease  is  the  result  of  disobeying  these  laws,  so  man  is 
made  to  believe  a  lie  that  he  may  be  condemned  to  disease. 

For  instance,  we  are  often  told  that  if  we  go  out  and  expose 
ourselves  to  God's  cold  or  law  we  shall  be  sick.  Here  man 
makes  God  the  author  of  his  own  act  that  he  sometimes  can- 
not help  and  then  punishes  him  for  disobeying  it.  If  he  ex- 
poses himself  he  dare  not  find  fault  with  the  punishment,  so 
he  lives  all  his  life  subject  to  a  tyrant  that  will  take  advantage 
of  his  ignorance  to  torment  him.  This  belief  makes  him  a 
servant  to  sin  and  to  man's  opinion.  So  his  life  is  in  the 
hands  of  priests  and  doctors  to  be  handled  to  suit  their  con- 
venience. Thus  man  is  a  mere  lump  of  clay  in  the  hands  of 
blind  guides  and  whatever  they  say  to  the  people  they  believe. 
Their  beliefs  disturb  their  minds  and  the  doctors  sow  the 
seed  of  disease  which  they  nurse  till  it  grows  to  a  belief,  then 
comes  the  misery. 

Now  the  God  I  worship  has  no  fellowship  with  man's  opin- 
ions, so  to  cure  the  disease  is  to  break  in  pieces  his  opinions. 
This  places  man  on  his  own  wisdom,  independent  of  man's 
God  or  opinions.     Then  he  sees  the  one  living  and  true  God 


326  OOD  AND  MAN 

who  rewards  every  one  according  to  his  acts,  not  his  be- 
liefs. To  believe  in  this  God  is  to  know  ourselves  and  that 
is  the  religion  of  Christ.  It  is  Christ  in  tis,  not  opinions  that 
we  are  in.  Just  as  we  know  this  truth  we  are  of  and  a  part 
of  God ;  then  we  become  joint  heirs  of  God  and  will  be  guided 
by  the  wisdom  of  the  Father  of  all  Truth.  This  purifies  and 
cleanses  our  minds  from  all  opinions  and  leads  us  into  the 
world  of  Science  where  opinions  never  come.  There  one  man 
shall  not  lead  us  by  his  opinions,  but  if  one  says  "here  is  the 
truth,"  let  him  prove  it.  This  raises  man  to  a  higher  self- 
respect,  and  if  man  does  not  respect  himself  he  cannot  com- 
plain if  others  do  not  respect  him. 

All  nations  have  a  God  according  to  their  belief.  A  belief 
contains  no  wisdom  but  is  a  shadow  of  something  that  cannot 
be  seen,  worshipped  by  man  who  knows  not  what  it  is.  This 
something  is  what  the  world  of  opinions  reasons  about.  The 
Jews  prophesied  about  it,  looking  for  its  coming  as  for  a 
man  of  great  power  who  would  free  them  from  the  Eoman 
yoke.  Heathen  nations  had  a  vague  idea  of  this  something. 
They  incorporated  it  into  their  beliefs  as  a  monarch  or  king. 
So  it  has  always  been  in  the  world  or  in  man's  belief,  but  man 
knows  it  not.  Even  to  the  wise  it  is  a  stranger.  It  has  no 
place  in  their  hearts  or  in  the  religious  world  except  as  an  un- 
explained mystery.  It  comes  to  man's  senses  but  man  knows 
it  not.  It  stands  knocking  at  the  door  but  it  is  not  recognized 
as  having  an  identity;  so  it  is  mocked  at,  spit  upon,  hated  and 
despised  by  all  men.  Yet  it  is  always  the  same,  calm  and 
unmoved,  sympathizing  with  its  friends,  who  are  bound  down 
by  the  opinions  of  this  world's  belief. 

Now,  what  is  it?  It  is  an  invisible  Wisdom  which  never 
can  be  seen  by  the  eye  of  opinion,  any  more  than  truth  can  be 
seen  by  error,  for  when  the  truth  comes  the  opinion  or  matter 
is  seen  to  be  the  shadow  of  this  Light  or  Substance  that  I 
call  something.  Again,  what  is  it?  If  I  should  tell  you 
what  it  is  you  would  ask  for  proof,  so  I  will  give  the  proof 
of  it  from  your  own  opinion.  Still  what  is  it?  It  is  what 
never  has  been  acknowledged  to  have  an  identity.  Then 
what  is  it  that  has  been  admitted  but  cannot  be  seen  and 
yet  is  not  acknowledged  to  have  an  identity  ?  Can  the  reader 
answer?  "Yes,  it  is  God."  I  ask.  Is  God  without  an 
identity?  You  say  no.  Then  it  is  not  God.  What  then  is 
it?     I  will  try  and  tell  you  and  bring  the  opinions  of  the 


QOD  AND  MAN  327 

world  to  prove  my  answer.  It  is  the  key  that  unlocks  the 
innermost  secrets  of  the  heart  in  the  prison  of  man's  belief, 
and  it  leads  the  prisoner  who  has  been  bound  a  captive  to 
health.  Opinions  are  like  a  shadow,  the  substance  is  God. 
True  wisdom  is  attached  to  the  substance;  false  wisdom  to 
the  shadow.  Language  is  attaclied  to  the  shadow,  which 
is  attached  to  the  substance;  language  is  not  in  harmony 
with  wisdom;  and  the  discord  lies  in  opinion.  If  the  senses 
are  attached  to  opinion,  when  the  opinion  is  lost  man  loses  his 
opinion  but  not  his  senses  or  life,  fox  his  life  is  his  wisdom 
or  self-existence.  .  .  . 

This  something  is  a  knowledge  of  this  wisdom  which  puts 
man  in  possession  of  a  truth  that  he  can  explain  to  another. 
It  does  not  come  to  the  man  of  opinions.  This  shows  that 
every  man  has  two  selves,  one  acknowledged  by  the  natural 
man,  the  other  by  the  spiritual  man.  Here  is  the  proof.  The 
sick  will  admit  that  I  can  tell  them  how  they  feel  better  than 
they  themselves  can  do.  This  shows  that  I  know  more  than 
they  do  and  also  that  this  wisdom  by  which  I  tell  these  things 
is  not  known  by  the  natural  man. 

To  give  the  proof  I  must  make  the  reader  detach  his  senses 
from  a  God  of  man's  belief  and  attach  them  to  this  invisible 
Wisdom  which  fills  all  space,  and  whose  attributes  are  all 
light,  all  wisdom,  all  goodness  and  love,  which  is  free  from 
all  selfishness  and  hypocrisy,  which  makes  or  breaks  no  laws, 
but  lets  man  work  out  his  own  salvation ;  which  has  no  laws, 
and  restrictions  and  sanctions  men's  acts  according  to  their 
belief,  and  holds  them  responsible  for  their  belief,  right  or 
wrong,  without  respect  to  persons.  For  the  natural  man  is 
only  a  shadow  of  man's  wisdom,  and  if  the  shadow  is  from 
this  world  of  opinions  it  will  be  destroyed  when  the  light  of 
the  Wisdom  comes.  But  the  life  will  be  saved,  and  when  the 
senses  shall  be  attached  to  this  Wisdom,  then  shall  be  brought 
to  pass  that  saying,  "Oh!  death!  where  is  thy  sting!  Oh, 
grave !  where  is  thy  victory !"  Death  is  robbed  of  its  victim, 
the  grave  gives  up  its  idea  of  death.  Then  life  rises  to  that 
happy  state  where  death,  hell,  and  disease  and  the  torments  of 
existence  find  no  place,  from  whence  no  traveler  ever  returns 
but  where  man  knows  himself.  This  wisdom  teaches  him 
that  when  our  senses  are  attached  to  opinions  of  any  kind  we 
become  the  subject  of  that  opinion  and  suffer  according  to  the 
penalty  attached  to  it,  unless  forgiven  or  the  debt  paid  by 
the  truth. 


328  OOD  AND  MAN 

This  is  the  new  truth  spoken  of  by  Jesus ;  to  know  this  is  to 
have  eternal  life  and  the  life  is  the  wisdom  that  can  enter  the 
dark  prisons  of  man's  mind  and  find  his  life  imprisoned  by 
the  opinions  of  this  world  and  there  hear  his  groans,  feel  his 
sorrows  and  break  the  prison  walls  of  his  belief  and  set  him 
free.  When  a  person  professes  this  Wisdom  and  attaches  his 
life  to  it,  his  life  is  to  him  a  blessing,  for  it  is  of  use  to  man. 
Then  ho  is  happiest  when  relieving  those  who  have  fallen  into 
trouble  or  into  the  hands  of  thieves,  who  have  been  robbed  of 
their  substance  and  imprisoned  in  a  creed,  there  to  languish 
from  the  wounds  of  the  priests  and  doctors  till  the  angel  of 
Wisdom  or  the  tide  of  progress,  forced  along  by  popular  opin- 
ions, shall  beat  against  the  walls  of  this  superstition  and  break 
down  the  medical  opinions,  lay  priestcraft  low  and  overflow 
the  superstitious  world  with  Science  and  good  order.  Then 
all  men  will  be  judged  by  what  they  know  and  all  can  prove 
themselves  by  this  standard, 

2.  Every  science  has  its  standard,  based  on  actual  knowl- 
edge, not  on  opinion.  I  say  nothing  about  such,  for  they  prove 
their  wisdom  by  their  works.  But  it  is  of  false  standards 
with  no  evidence  of  truth  except  the  misery  they  produce  that 
I  shall  speak.  The  two  most  dangerous  to  the  happiness  of 
man  are  those  of  medical  science  and  the  priests.  These  two 
classes  are  the  foundation  of  more  misery  than  all  other  evils, 
for  they  have  such  a  strong  hold  on  the  minds  of  the  people 
by  their  deception  and  cant.  They  claim  all  the  virtue 
and  wisdom  of  the  nation,  and  have  so  deceived  the  people 
that  their  claims  are  acknowledged  in  war  and  peace.  Let  us 
analyze  the  beliefs  of  these  guides.  Take  the  medical  man, 
what  is  his  science  except  that  of  killing  human  beings? 
Is  the  world  wiser  by  their  opinions  ?  Do  not  the  very  medi- 
cal men  themselves  recommend  to  the  people  not  to  read 
medical  books?  Does  the  mathematician  warn  the  people  to 
keep  clear  of  mathematical  books?  Is  not  the  world  wiser, 
better  and  more  enlightened  by  them?  Is  the  world  made 
wiser  or  better  by  quack  medicine  or  opinions  of  the  faculty? 
Are  not  their  opinions  like  the  locusts  of  Egypt  in  every- 
thing you  eat  and  drink?  Science  and  progress  have  had 
to  fight  both  theories  ever  since  the  world  began  to  think  and 
act. 

It  is  a  common  saying  that  the  religious  and  Christian 
souls  are  the  foundation  of  God's  moral  government,  but  let 


OOD  AND  MAN  329 

us  see  if  it  is  not  the  reverse.  Take  the  T^orth  and  South  of 
this  American  Republic  as  specimens  of  mankind.  According 
to  religious  statistics,  the  South  is  more  religious  than  the 
North,  for  all  religion  is  confined  to  sectarian  creeds.  For 
instance,  how  long  is  it  since  the  Unitarians  were  admitted  as 
Christians?  Even  now  the  Universalists  are  scarcely  ad- 
mitted within  the  pale  of  Christianity.  The  religion  of  which 
I  speak  and  with  which  Science  and  revelation  has  had  to 
contend  includes  more  of  the  liberal  classes.  Show  me  where 
the  people  are  called  the  most  intelligent.  It  is  in  New 
England.  This  mixing  up  of  religion  and  science  is  like 
estahlishing  honor  among  thieves.  Religion  and  politics 
always  went  together,  but  Science,  progress  and  good  order 
never  had  anything  to  do  with  either. 

Religion  was  what  crucified  Christ.  Pilate's  wisdom 
found  no  fault  with  Him,  but  the  religion  of  the  priests  said 
"crucify  him."  Paul  had  this  idea  of  religion  when  he  said  to 
the  Athenians,  "I  perceive  you  are  altogether  too  religious  or 
superstitious."  Then  he  goes  on  to  show  them  how  their  re- 
ligion led  them  to  worship  this  something  of  which  I  am 
talking,  so  he  said,  "This  something  that  you  so  ignorantly 
worship,  I  declare  unto  you."  Here  you  see  that  Paul  was 
not  a  religious  man,  but  was  converted  from  a  man  of  reli- 
gious and  superstitious  opinions  to  a  man  of  science  and  pro- 
gress and  he  showed  that  this  something  was  not  far  off, 
though  the  religious  world  did  not  know  it.  And  the  world 
will  never  know  it  till  wisdom  separates  religion  and  politics 
from  the  scientific  world.  All  Science  is  spiritual  and  is  not 
known  by  the  priests  and  demagogues  or  doctors.  The  theo- 
ries of  these  three  classes  are  not  based  on  wisdom  but  on 
opinions.  Wisdom  is  the  solid  or  substance.  Matter  or 
mind  is  the  shadow  of  the  spirit  of  real  wisdom.  Now  put 
man  in  possession  of  this  wisdom  go  that  he  can  make  an  ap- 
plication of  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  suffering  community, 
then  this  wisdom  will  soon  separate  the  chaff  from  the  wlieat. 

3.  All  the  parables  were  intended  to  illustrate  the  two  prin- 
ciples, truth  and  error.  Truth  is  the  wisdom  of  God ;  error  is 
the  god  of  opinions,  and  the  two  have  no  dealing  with  each 
other.  Each  has  his  disciples,  the  God  of  opinion  and  the  God 
of  science  or  love;  but  their  acts  are  so  different  that  their 
characters  can  be  easily  explained.  I  will  give  you  the  relig- 
ious or  political  god.     He  is  represented  as  watching  the 


330  GOD  AND  MAN 

movements  of  the  armies  and  dictating  to  the  heads  of  the 
nation.  No  one  approaches  him  except  the  ordained  priest. 
He  takes  particular  care  of  the  president  and  the  heads  of 
departments,  in  fact  he  is  ruler  and  dictator  of  all  things. 
But  he  must  be  approached  with  as  much  reverence  as  a  king. 
The  South  have  another  god,  not  so  great,  according  to  the 
account  of  Jeff  Davis ;  he  seems  to  be  of  a  lower  intellect  for  he 
sanctions  this  low  guerilla  warfare  and  a  kind  of  cruelty  which 
is  only  practised  by  the  Indians.  These  are  the  gods  of  the 
religious  world. 

Now  where  is  the  God  in  whose  wisdom  I  believe?  He  is 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people.  He  is  not  a  man,  neither  has  He 
form.  He  is  neither  male  nor  female.  I  will  give  you  an  il- 
lustration of  His  wisdom.  If  you  see  a  man  in  trouble  you 
are  or  you  are  not  bound  to  help  him.  If  you  have  admitted 
it  right  to  help  a  man  in  distress  then  He  will  put  you  in  mind 
of  your  agreement.  If  you  neglect  your  duty,  punishment 
must  follow,  for  that  action  and  reaction  are  equal  is  a  truth 
which  never  varies.  This  embraces  the  law  and  the  gospel, 
and  on  this  hangs  all  man's  happiness  and  misery.  If  man 
is  governed  by  this  truth,  it  develops  his  higher  wisdom  and 
enables  him  to  prove  all  things  by  a  standard  based  not  on 
opinions  but  on  truth.  All  man's  happiness  or  misery  is  in 
keeping  or  breaking  this  agreement.  Now  if  a  man  is  in 
trouble,  although  you  may  bind  yourself  to  help  him  to  the 
best  of  your  ability,  if  you  do  not  know  it  you  cannot  be  pun- 
ished. .  .  .  This  higher  law  is  not  known  as  having  any 
responsibilities,  but  it  is  the  most  perfect  of  all  laws.  It  is 
very  little  understood,  and  not  at  all  intelligently.  To  under- 
stand it  intelligently  is  to  make  it  your  rule  of  action  with 
the  sick,  or  those  in  trouble,  for  the  well  are  not  bound  by  it. 

I  will  show  how  a  well  person  is  not  bound  by  this  higher 
wisdom.  Suppose  a  person  is  sick  or  in  great  distress.  A 
well  person  sees  the  sick  one  but  cannot  feel  his  aches  and 
pains.  Then  he  is  not  bound  to  relieve  him.  In  order  that 
a  person  in  trouble  may  be  bound  so  that  he  is  responsible  for 
his  acts,  he  must  be  born  again  as  it  is  said  of  Christ  so  that 
he  can  feel  another's  feelings.  Then  he  knows  what  the  world 
of  opinions  is  ignorant  of.  Here  he  stands  in  relation  to  the 
sick  as  one  man  stands  to  another  of  the  natural  world  who  isi 
in  trouble.  I  will  take  myself  as  one  risen  from  these  dead 
ideas  or  opinions  into  that  higher  kingdom  of  wisdom  where 


GOD  AND  MAN  331 

my  acts  have  as  much  restriction  over  my  life  as  they  have 
over  the  well. 

I  will  here  say  a  word  or  two  which  the  well  must  take  as 
an  opinion  hut  which  the  sick  will  admit  as  a  truth.  The  sick 
are  imprisoned  for  their  belief;  the  imprisonment  is 
what  they  suffer.  When  I  come  in  contact  with  them  they 
affect  me  not  in  the  way  one  man  of  opinion  affects  another. 
Their  language  is  different.  The  well  speak  in  my  own 
tongue,  but  the  sick  cannot  do  that  for  the  language  of  the 
well  cannot  describe  the  feeling  of  the  sick.  Thus  they  are 
prisoners  in  their  own  land,  among  strangers  and  not  under- 
stood. 

4.  I  will  illustrate  the  manner  in  which  the  sick  express 
themselves.  Ideas  or  thoughts  are  matter  or  opinions.  These 
opinions  are  in  the  world  of  matter  and  our  senses  or  life  are 
attached  to  our  belief  or  opinion.  As  opinions  are  something 
believed  and  admitted  they  become  matter  according  to  the 
wisdom  of  the  world.  Thus  the  priests  invent  creeds  with 
penalties  attached  to  their  disobedience  and  the  doctors  in- 
vent diseases  with  other  penalties.  The  teachers  of  the 
young  are  instructed  to  estal)lish  the  sayings  of  the  priests 
and  doctors  in  the  children's  minds.  Now  everyone  knows  if 
Jie  will  stop  and  think  that  if  a  child  when  it  is  first  born  is 
given  to  the  savages  it  will  grow  up  one  and  with  all  the 
peculiarities  of  one,  or  nearly  so ;  this  proves  that  the  life 
of  the  child  is  attached  to  the  belief  of  tbe  savage  and  the 
child  has  become  subject  to  its  teachers.  In  the  same  way 
religion  or  belief  in  another  world  is  binding  on  the  child  and 
the  penalties  of  the  doctors'  belief  are  also  binding.  Suppose 
you  bring  the  same  child  into  our  country  at  the  age  of  a  man, 
will  anyone  say  or  believe  that  he  is  bound  in  his  conscience  to 
obey  the  laws  of  our  priests  and  doctors?  I  tliink  not.  This 
then  shows  that  the  child's  mind  or  wisdom  can  be  moulded 
into  a  savage  and  if  this  can  be  done  it  will  not  require  a 
great  stretch  of  imagination  to  make  a  disease.  Just  admit 
this  child's  mind  as  matter.  According  to  common  belief 
every  form  of  matter  can  make  a  shadow  according  to  its 
identity  or  description.  For  instance,  consumption  is  a  belief, 
this  belief  is  matter  and  throws  off  a  shadow.  As  life  is  in  the 
senses  and  the  senses  are  in  the  mind  or  matter,  they  are  all 
associated  together;  here  is  where  the  mistake  lies. 

I  will  make  an  illustration  to  show  where  the  mind  affects 


332  GOD  AND  MAN 

the  senses  or  life  and  yet  you  will  see  they  are  different. 
Suppose  you  are  ignorant  of  the  effect  of  a  charcoal  fire.  You 
sit  down  in  a  room,  the  heat  affects  the  mind  or  matter;  all 
this  contains  no  intelligence.  At  last  the  life  is  disturbed, 
just  as  the  cold  would  be  and  would  wish  to  rid  itself  of  the 
sensation  of  heat.  The  senses  being  attached  to  life  become 
disturbed.  Opinions  enter  which  are  like  more  coal  and  in- 
crease the  heat  or  excitement.  Reason  which  is  another  ele- 
ment of  fire  fans  the  flames  till  life  and  the  senses  are  so 
affected  that  they  will  not  remain.  This  is  disease.  Suppose 
I  come  in ;  the  instant  the  heat  affects  my  mind  my  wisdom 
communicates  to  my  senses  [consciousness]  the  cause  and  the 
remedy.  My  senses  become  composed,  my  wisdom  directs  my 
senses,  and  they  act  on  the  body;  the  door  is  opened,  the 
trouble  is  explained,  the  patient  is  saved  from  his  torment,  his 
mind  or  opinion  is  destroyed,  but  his  life  is  saved  and  his 
trouble  is  at  an  end.  Opinions  are  the  elements  used  to  tor- 
ment life  or  the  senses.  They  contain  no  wisdom  above  the 
brute,  but  are  matter  and  can  be  destroyed.  All  the  opinions 
of  the  priests  are  condensed  into  a  solid  according  to  their  be- 
lief, and  although  they  cannot  be  seen  by  the  natural  eye, 
the  eye  of  opinion  can  see  them  and  lead  the  senses  that  are 
attached  to  the  opinion  to  the  locality  where  the  beliefs  are. 
For  instance,  the  priests  tell  their  hearers  that  there  is  another 
world  separate  from  this.  They  give  such  a  glowing  account 
of  it  that  their  opinions  like  fuel  set  fire  to  the  audience  and 
a  chemical  change  takes  place;  their  minds  are  disturbed 
like  mortar  and  their  senses  are  affected  by  the  opinions  of 
the  priests  and  an  expedition  is  fitted  out  to  go  to  this  world, 
which  is  actually  created  by  the  priests'  opinions.  The  minds 
are  so  disturbed  that  the  life,  losing  its  relish  for  this  world, 
is  persuaded  to  embark  for  the  world -of  the  priests'  opinions, 
to  which  their  thoughts  are  attached.  Their  senses  are  held 
between  two  opinions,  not  knowing  what  to  do;  this  is  called 
by  the  doctors  "disease  of  the  mind."  They,  not  knowing  the 
cause  of  the  trouble  take  the  story  of  the  patient,  who  also 
being  ignorant,  is  ready  to  be  deceived  by  the  ignorance  of 
the  doctor.  So  the  doctor,  like  the  priest,  gets  up  a  false  idea 
of  disease  and  engrafts  into  the  patient's  belief  a  new  idea  of 
some  disease  which  affects  the  body.  Then  he  reasons  till  it 
takes  root  in  the  mind  and  comes  forth  in  the  image  of  its 
father.     The  life  or  senses  are  then  attached  and  the  thing  is 


QOD  AND  MAN  333 

brought  to  the  doctor  to  receive  a  name.  So  after  he  ex- 
amines it  he  gives  it  the  name  of  cancer.  The  patient  now 
wants  to  know  what  is  to  be  done.  The  doctor  gives  the  pun- 
ishment of  such  a  disease;  this  troubles  the  life  or  senses  so 
that  life  wants  to  leave  the  opinions  of  the  doctor  or 
cancer  and  escape  to  the  priests'  world  where  they  are  told 
that  diseases  never  come.  Here  they  are  halting  between  two 
opinions;  this  last  stand  is  called  a  real  disease  of  the  body. 
Now  these  two  blind  guides  quarrel  with  each  other.  The 
doctor  accuses  the  priest  of  frightening  the  patient  and  the 
priest  accuses  the  doctor  of  the  same.  Between  the  two  a  war 
is  made  and  the  whole  world  is  affected  by  their  opinions. 
Parties  spring  up,  reason  is  brought  to  inflame  the  minds  and 
the  weakest  portion  of  the  people  are  disturbed  till  the  whole 
world  of  man's  mind  is  overrun  with  false  theories. 

5.  In  the  darkness  of  this  superstition,  when  all  are  either 
sleeping  or  ignorant  of  the  danger  that  awaits  them  and  the 
sentinels  on  the  watch  tower  of  those  minds  that  see  the  craft 
of  these  two  classes  are  warning  the  multitude  of  the  danger, 
when  the  enemies  of  Science  and  progress  are  mustering  the 
thoughts  of  the  scientific  world  and  casting  every  one  into 
prison  for  their  belief,  I  enter  this  land  of  darkness  with  the 
light  of  liberty,  search  out  the  dungeons  where  the  lives  of 
sick  are  bound,  enter  them  and  set  the  prisoners  free.  These 
prisons,  like  the  prisons  of  this  world,  can  be  detected  by  the 
atmosphere  or  description.  I  have  said  all  diseases  were 
opinions  condensed  into  an  idea  of  matter  that  can  be  seen  by 
the  eye  of  Wisdom.  In  like  manner  all  ideas  of  the  priests  can 
be  seen,  each  throws  off  its  shadow  or  spiritual  matter,  and 
each  has  its  particular  odor,  so  that  it  can  be  detected  as  easily 
by  the  e3'e  of  Wisdom  as  an  apple  or  an  orange  can  be  detected 
by  the  eye  of  opinion.  .  .  . 

To  be  in  a  state  to  become  a  teacher  of  this  unknown  God  is 
what  never  has  been  acknowledged  by  the  opinions  of  man's 
wisdom.  Thousands  of  persons  have  undertaken  to  pene- 
trate this  land  of  mystery  and  have  returned  with  the  idea 
that  they  have  made  the  discovery  and  thus  have  deceived 
many  people,  broken  up  families,  led  the  weak  and  timid, 
stimulated  the  strong,  till  the  people,  like  the  children  of 
Israel,  have  left  their  happy  land  or  state  of  mind  to  follow 
these  blind  guides,  and  they  have  wandered  so  far  from  health 
or  home  that  they  have  lost  their  way  and  fallen  among 


334  GOD  AND  MAN 

strangers  or  doctors,  who  pretending  to  be  their  friends  have 
robbed  them  of  their  happiness  and  left  them  like  the  prodigal 
son  sick  and  disheartened  in  this  land  of  superstition.  Like 
Moses,  I  enter  this  land  and  lead  them  out,  and  as  I  pass 
through  the  sea  of  blood  or  beliefs  of  those  blind  guides  I  feed 
them  with  the  bread  of  wisdom  and  smite  the  rock  of  truth 
and  the  water  or  wisdom  gushes  out  and  cools  the  parched 
tongues.  I  go  before  them  in  this  wilderness,  holding  up  the 
(priests,)  serpent  or  creed,  and  all  that  listen  to  my  explana- 
tion are  healed  from  the  bite  of  these  creeds.  The  people 
murmur  and  complain,  some  call  me  humbug  and  quack; 
others  want  to  return  to  their  old  ideas  of  religion,  but  I  stand 
up  and  entreat  them,  stimulating  them  to  press  forward  and 
not  to  give  up  till  I  have  restored  them  once  more  to  the  happy 
land  of  health  whence  they  have  been  decoyed  away.  So  I  am 
hated  by  some,  laughed  at  by  others,  spit  upon  by  the  doctors, 
and  sneered  at  by  the  priest,  but  received  into  the  arms  of  the 
sick  who  know  me. 

6.  Perhaps  by  this  time  it  would  be  well  to  sum  up  all  this 
journey,  describing  how  I  entered  this  land  and  how  I  passed 
through  it.  I  will  do  so  in  a  few  words.  After  I  found  that 
mind  was  spiritual  matter  I  found  that  ideas  were  matter, 
condensed  into  a  solid  called  disease,  and  that  this,  like  a 
book  contained  all  the  wisdom  of  its  author.  Seeing  the  book 
(for  sight  with  Wisdom  embraces  all  senses,  hearing,  tasting, 
etc.)  I  open  it  and  see  through  it.  To  the  patient  it  is  a 
sealed  book  but  to  Wisdom  there  is  nothing  hid  which  cannot 
be  revealed  or  seen,  nor  so  far  off  that  it  cannot  be  reached. 
So  I  read  the  contents  of  the  book  to  the  patient  and  show  that 
it  is  false,  then  as  the  truth  changes  his  mind  light  takes  the 
place  of  darkness,  till  he  sees  through  the  error  of  disease. 
The  light  of  Wisdom  dissipates  the  matter,  or  disease,  the 
patient  once  more  finds  himself  freed  of  opinions  and  happi- 
ness is  restored.  What  I  have  said  is  produced  on  me  by  the 
patient,  by  lighting  up  the  mind  and  making  the  patient 
clairvoyant,  so  that  he  sees  through  the  priests'  and  doctors' 
opinion.  This  dissipates  the  opinion,  for  it  is  nothing  but  a 
shadow  taken  for  a  substance  and  the  misery  comes  from  mis- 
taking the  opinion  for  a  truth ;  here  is  the  trouble  that  arises 
from  opinions.  Now  let  men  cease  from  giving  opinions  or  let 
the  people  understand  that  there  is  no  wisdom  in  one,  then 
you  siiut  the  mouths  of  these  barking  dogs,  howling  night  and 
day,  which  keep  the  people  in  constant  excitement. 


QOD  AND  MAN  335 

How  often  you  hear  this  expression  used,  "such  a  person 
murders  the  King's  English."  This  I  admit  may  be  the  case, 
if  language  is  applied  to  the  things  of  this  natural  world,  but 
if  it  is  to  be  applied  to  the  spiritual  world,  or  to  ideas  that 
cannot  be  seen  by  the  natural  man,  then  I  beg  leave  to  differ 
from  the  knowledge  of  this  world,  for  I  know  that  in  such  a 
case  the  world  cannot  judge  of  the  correctness  of  language. 
In  the  first  place  a  healthy  person  is  not  a  judge  of  a  sick 
person's  feelings.  Therefore,  if  anyone  gives  a  name  to  a 
feeling  which  a  sick  person  has  he  names  a  sensation  that  he 
knows  nothing  of  except  as  described  by  the  sick.  In  this 
there  is  no  standard  of  right  or  wrong  that  the  people  can 
agree  upon.  80  every  one  sets  up  his  own  standard  of  right 
and  wrong,  and  if  a  person  is  ever  so  sensitive  to  another's 
feelings,  he  must  use  such  terms  as  the  world  admits,  or  he 
is  ignorant  of  the  King's  English.  So  the  invisible  things 
must  be  judged  by  the  visible.  Here  is  a  great  mistake,  for  if 
the  learned  had  to  prove  to  the  unlearned  everything  they  said, 
it  would  be  as  hard  as  for  those  who  are  sensitive  to  feelings  of 
the  sick  to  prove  them  to  the  learned.  Who  is  to  say  what 
God  is?  Webster,  Worcester,  or  any  author,  unless  he  can 
give  some  evidence  that  comes  within  a  person's  feeling  or 
senses?  Here  is  where  the  trouble  commences,  with  the  idea 
of  God.  What  is  God?  This  is  the  question,  and  let  man 
come  forward  and  show  who  and  what  God  is. 

The  word  God  is  the  name  of  something  material  or  im- 
material. If  He  is  material  then  God  can  be  seen  by  the  ma- 
terial eyes,  and  if  He  is  immaterial,  the  natural  man  cannot 
see  Him,  So  that  if  His  name  sprang  from  the  natural  man, 
he  gives  a  name  of  something  that  he  knows  nothing  of. 
Therefore  one  man's  opinion  is  as  good  as  another's,  till  some 
one  can  give  the  substance  or  impression  that  caused  the  word 
to  be  applied.  Now  suppose  that  man  calls  Wisdom  the  First 
Cause,  and  that  from  this  Wisdom  there  issues  forth  an  es- 
sence that  fills  all  space,  like  the  odor  of  a  rose.  This  essence, 
like  the  odor,  contains  the  character  or  wisdom  of  its  father, 
or  author,  and  man's  wisdom  wants  a  name  given  to  it,  so  man 
calls  this  essence  God.  Then  you  have  wisdom  manifest  in 
God  or  the  essence,  then  this  essence  would  be  called  the  Son 
of  Wisdom.  Then  Wisdom  said,  "let  us  create  matter  or  mind 
or  man  in  our  image,"  or  in  the  likeness  of  this  essence  or  God. 
So  they  formed  man  out  of  the  odor  called  matter  or  dust, 


336  QOD  AND  MAN 

that  rises  from  the  grosser  matter,  and  breathed  into  him  the 
living  essence,  or  God,  and  the  matter  took  the  form  of  man. 


r 


ON   WISDOM 


Perfect  wisdom  embraces  every  idea  in  existence,  and 
therefore  every  idea  that  comes  to  light  through  the  senses  ex- 
isted before  to  Wisdom.  Every  person  who  was  or  ever  will 
be  existed  as  much  before  he  ever  came  to  our  senses  as  after- 
wards, the  same  as  any  mathematical  truth.  Man's  intel- 
ligence is  a  truth  that  existed  before  he  took  form  or  was 
seen  by  the  natural  eye.  Man's  body  is  only  a  machine 
and  its  senses  are  its  medium  to  wisdom.  The  real  man  is 
never  seen  by  the  natural  senses,  but  the  real  man  makes  him- 
self known  through  Science  to  his  natural  senses,  as  a  person 
who  knows  a  fact  can  teach  it  to  another.  Wisdom  or  knowl- 
edge he  teaches  through  Science,  and  he  uses  his  senses  to  ex- 
plain this  Science,  for  his  senses  are  all  the  medium  the  nat- 
ural man  knows.  The  real  man  is  God,  or  the  First  Cause. 
Every  idea  that  man  embraces  comes  through  his  natural 
senses,  but  this  real  man  is  not  seen,  but  is  truth  or  Wisdom. 
The  natural  man  may  be  compared  to  a  checker  board,  and 
Science  and  opinion  the  players.  Public  opinion  or  common 
sense  stands  looking  on  and  represents  spectators.  The  Wis- 
dom that  is  superior  is  that  which  sees  and  knows  the  prin- 
ciple of  the  game.  Now  opinion  makes  a  move,  and  the  nat- 
ural man  or  common  sense  says  it  cannot  be  bettered.  But 
Science  sees  the  working  of  opinion,  and  makes  him  move  in 
such  a  way  as  to  compel  his  opponent  to  destroy  himself,  for 
he  knows  that  opinion  knows  nothing  as  he  should  know  it. 
Every  move  of  opinion  suggests  his  opponent's  move.  So  if 
one  knows  his  game  and  the  other  does  not,  the  ignorant  one 
is  beaten  every  time.  But  if  both  are  ignorant  they  think 
they  play  a  very  scientific  game.  Now  there  are  certain  games 
or  arguments  which  men  play  called  theories,  that  have  no 
foundation  or  basis,  and  there  is  no  way  to  test  them,  because 
one  is  not  the  least  above  his  neighbor  and  neither  can  prove 
anything. 

THE  christian's   GOD 

I  will  now  sum  up  by  introducing  the  Gods  of  the  two 
foregoing  theories  and  as  one  of  them  is  only  man's  opinion, 
I  will  introduce  a  priest,  a  doctor,  and  the  law  as  the  God- 


GOD  AND  MAN  337 

head,  for  the  three  are  equal  in  power.  Eeligion  is  the  father, 
medicine  is  the  son,  and  law  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  explanation. 
All  these  make  up  the  Godhead  of  our  superstitious  belief. 
These  two  first  give  the  people  their  beliefs,  which  are  sanc- 
tioned by  an  appearance  of  divine  wisdom,  and  according  to 
their  belief  acknowledged  by  the  wisdom  of  the  father  of  all. 
Strange  as  this  may  seem,  it  is  the  foundation  of  all  the  misery 
that  man  suffers.  Although  we  are  taught  to  love  and  re- 
spect this  man's  God,  as  the  giver  of  everything  we  receive, 
yet  if  one  half  of  what  we  attribute  to  Him  were  true,  He 
would  be  of  all  tyrants  the  worst.  If  we  should  look  upon  a 
parent  as  we  are  taught  to  look  upon  God,  we  should  hate  our 
very  parents.  Let  us  see  what  kind  of  God  He  is  and  how  He 
compares  with  a  parent.  In  the  first  place,  He  is  represented 
as  knowing  all  our  acts  and  having  a  watchful  care  over  us 
like  a  good  father.  Now  if  any  parent  could  have  half  the 
power  that  they  say  God  has  over  His  children.  His  children 
would  curse  Him  to  his  face  and  look  upon  Him  as  a  tyrant. 
Now  all  this  talk  about  a  God  who  reasons  and  makes  bar- 
gains accompanied  by  rewards  and  punishments  is  so  much 
like  the  natural  man's  wisdom  that  no  one  can  help  seeing 
that  our  Christian  God  is  the  embodiment  of  man's  belief 
when  man  was  far  behind  the  present  generation.^  No  at- 
tribute of  their  God  shows  any  wisdom,  but  a  sweeping  idea  of 
everything  when  His  wisdom  or  acts  are  spoken  of;  it  is  like 
a  military  officer,  or  some  grand  monarch,  or  king.  He  is 
king  of  kings,  the  great  High  Priest.  Once  it  was  the  height 
of  honor  to  be  a  military  officer,  for  that  was  the  greatest  of 
all  professions;  therefore  God  must  be  a  military  character, 
for  the  Bible  says  He  had  war  in  heaven.  The  devil  was  the 
first  secessionist  we  find  and  he  was  driven  out  of  heaven. 
You  never  hear  God  compared  to  a  statesman  or  any  learned 
man.  It  is  true  that  when  He  came  to  earth  some  eight- 
een hundred  years  ago  in  the  person  of  Jesus,  He  was  not 
represented  as  a  military  character  but  was  far  superior  to 
the  wise.  He  was  called  a  very  simple  man,  uneducated,  full 
of  sympathy,  so  He  must  have  come  down  since  the  writers  of 
the  Old  Testament.  How  natural  it  is  for  man  to  court  the 
company  of  the  great,  especially  the  military.  Aristocracy 
would  not  have  anything  to  do  with  Jesus  because  he  had 

1  Many  of  Quimby's  patients  were  ardent  Calvinists,  hence  their 
God  was  out  of  date. 


338  QOD  AND  MAN 

none  of  the  military  turn  of  mind.  Their  superstition  could 
not  account  for  Plis  cures,  so  they  had  no  claim  on  Him.  The 
wise  of  this  world  who  hase  their  theory  on  opinions  steal  all 
they  can  from  their  neighbors,  and  when  Jesus  was  crucified 
they  stole  His  ideas  and  engrafted  them  into  their  aristocratic 
creeds.  This  kept  them  aloof  from  the  masses  and  God 
was  not  permitted  to  associate  with  the  people  but  could  only 
communicate  through  the  priest  what  information  they  got 
from  heaven. 

We  all  really  believe  more  of  this  than  we  are  willing  to  ac- 
knowledge and  it  keeps  the  people  in  bondage  under  the 
priests.  The  burden  of  false  ideas  makes  men  nervous  and 
superstitious.  This  gets  their  systems  in  a  condition  for 
another  swarm  of  hungry  dogs  called  doctors  who  invent  dis- 
eases, make  the  people  admit  their  opinions,  and  after  their 
opinions  are  admitted  then  they  are  ready  to  bring  about  any 
disease  that  can  be  introduced  to  them.  As  people  cannot  see 
how  disease  is  made,  this  false  theory  has  always  led  the  people 
and  always  will  till  the  true  idea  is  explained  how  disease  is 
made.  According  to  my  theory,  all  errors  can  be  explained 
on  scientific  truths,  so  that  man  can  be  his  own  doctor  and 
priest  and  he  shall  not  say  to  his  neighbor,  "Know  you  the 
Lord  ?"  but  all  shall  know  Him  from  the  least  to  the  greatest. 
This  theory  will  explain  all  the  phenomenon.  If  you  read  the 
first  article  in  Vol.  I  you  will  see  that  according  to  that  theory 
mind  can  be  changed  and  any  kind  of  an  idea  produced.  So 
apply  this  truth  to  the  mind,  and  you  can  cure  or  correct  the 
error  and  establish  the  truth.^ 


MAN 

What  truth  did  Jesus  come  to  bring  to  the  world?  One 
simple  fact  that  man  is  a  progressive  being,  that  his  happiness 
and  misery  are  of  his  own  make,  that  his  belief  is  his  wisdom 

1  Repetitions  of  ideas  contained  in  other  articles  have  not  been 
crossed  out  from  the  selections  in  this  chapter,  because  it  seemed 
desirable  to  show  how  concrete  was  Dr.  Quimby's  thought  of  God. 
He  plainly  did  not  mean  to  teach  pantheism  or  identify  his  own 
individuality  with  God  as  a  mere  "part"  of  Him.  But  he  did  wish 
to  attribute  to  this  "invisible  Wisdom"  whatever  power  he  possessed 
as  healer,  as  instrument  of  the  Christ  within.  Quimby  did  not  spend 
time  in  mere  affirmations  about  his  "oneness"  with  God.  He  aimed 
to  establish  the  Divine  presence  by  ministering  to  the  sick  so  aa 
to  overcome  all  separateness. 


GOD  AND  MAN  339 

and  if  founded  on  an  opinion  it  is  liable  to  make  him  unhappy. 
To  separate  the  truth  from  the  error  is  a  Science  the  knowl- 
edge of  which  teaches  how  to  correct  an  error  or  disease,  and 
in  this  knowledge  is  eternal  life.  Jesus  never  intended  to 
teach  the  people  a  belief  in  another  world,  His  words  and  acts 
showed  them  that  their  beliefs  were  false,  and  that  they  were 
the  cause  of  their  misery,  but  this  they  could  not  understand, 
and  being  in  their  belief,  their  belief  became  part  of  their 
identity.  As  they  were  taught  to  believe  in  spirits  their  mis- 
ery was  attributed  to  them,  and  as  error  begets  error  the  people 
were  tormented  by  their  own  beliefs.  It  never  entered  into  the 
minds  of  these  blind  leaders  that  as  a  man  sows  so  shall  he 
reap;  that  action  and  reaction  are  equal.  Knowledge  of 
science  was  not  general,  and  the  possibility  that  the  belief  of 
man  had  anything  to  do  with  his  health  was  not  dreamed  of. 
All  that  was  believed  was  something  that  oould  not  be  seen,  so 
the  prophets  prophesied  of  some  one  coming  from  heaven. 
Now  if  heaven  had  not  been  something  that  people  believed  in 
away  and  apart  from  this  earth  it  would  not  have  been  in  the 
prophecies.  So  this  heaven  was  an  established  fact  and  all 
their  controversies  were  in  regard  to  it.  They  introduced  all 
sorts  of  mediums  who  purported  to  come  from  and  have  com- 
munication with  that  place.  There  was  the  dwelling  of  God 
and  all  religious  theories  were  based  upon  the  belief  that  there 
was  another  world  where  God  dwelt  and  where  He  ordered  all 
things  according  to  His  own  will.  Absurd  as  this  is,  a  man 
is  made  of  this  composition,  for  man  is  only  a  mass  of  ideas 
combined  together  by  a  wisdom  superior  to  the  matter  of 
which  the  ideas  are  formed. 

Science  is  not  recognized  in  this  belief  for  it  belongs  to  that 
class  of  minds  which  have  never  risen  to  a  state  where  they  can 
discern  that  man  perceives  anything  independently  of  his 
natural  senses.  To  this  class  of  minds  whatever  is  not  estab- 
lished is  a  mystery.  If  a  lead  ball  is  thrown  into  the  water  it 
sinks  to  the  bottom,  that  is  a  fact;  if  a  wooden  ball  is  also 
thrown  into  the  water  it  floats,  and  then  comes  the  mystery. 
A  medium  from  the  other  world  is  required  to  explain  the 
phenomenon ;  argument  is  of  no  force,  the  explanation  must 
come  from  God,  and  thus  it  is  with  every  mysterious  phenom- 
enon: supernatural  power  only  can  explain  it.  Thus  man  is 
kept  constantly  excited  to  understand  every  little  thing  that 
happens.     He  never  has  thought  that  heaven  and  hell  were 


340  QOD  AND  MAN 

part  of  his  belief  and  consequently  part  of  himself,  but  he  be- 
lieves that  these  two  places  are  independent  of  himself  and  he 
is  liable  to  go  to  one  or  the  other  after  he  is  dead.  So  he  lives 
in  hell  all  his  life  trying  to  get  to  heaven,  but  he  never  gets 
there  for  it  is  always  at  a  distance,  and  he  is  looking  for  a 
saviour  to  save  him  from  hell. 

How  often  we  hear  very  good  people  say  that  they  are  weary 
of  this  wicked  world  and  long  to  be  with  Christ,  showing  that 
they  are  not  with  Him  now  but  hope  to  be.  Their  faith  con- 
tains a  belief,  not  a  substance.  The  faith  that  is  of  man  is 
merely  a  belief  in  something  not  obtained,  for  when  the  sub- 
stance is  obtained  their  faith  or  belief  is  lost  in  the  substance, 
and  they  have  what  they  hope  for.  Jesus'  faith  was  the  sub- 
stance of  our  belief  and  that  substance  was  Christ.  The 
Christ  or  faith  is  intended  to  be  applied  to  man,  and  Jesus 
put  this  in  practice  for  our  happiness.  The  question 
arises,  has  the  Christ  an  identity?  I  answer  it  has;  it  is  all 
that  ever  had  an  unchangeable  identity,  it  is  Wisdom  itself. 
But  the  Christian's  faith  is  an  opinion  about  this  Wisdom.  I 
have  said  that  the  faith  of  Jesus  had  an  identity  and  to  this 
His  senses  were  attached.  Then  Jesus  could  say  to  His  faith, 
"Father  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do." 

What  did  this  Christ  strive  to  do?  It  strove  to  enter  the 
heart  of  man  and  teach  him  to  break  away  from  his  errors  and 
learn  the  truth.  Jesus  taught  Christ  and  put  it  in  practice  by 
His  words.  Do  the  Christians  the  same?  No,  they  preach 
about  it.  So  their  faith  is  not  of  works  but  a  belief.  The 
world  is  no  wiser  or  better  for  it.  To  prove  your  faith  in  music 
is  to  play  a  tune  on  an  instrument  by  your  faith  or  science, 
not  to  talk  about  music,  telling  how  beautiful  it  is.  The 
Science  of  Health  which  Jesus  taught  was  practised  by  His 
faith  or  wisdom,  and  His  instrument  was  man.  He  took  man 
after  he  had  been  beaten,  bruised  and  deceived  by  the  priests 
and  doctors,  and  applied  His  Science  or  Christ  to  put  man  in 
tune  so  that  he  could  sing  psalms  to  the  one  loving  and  true 
Science,  and  appreciate  Jesus;  for  "He  hath  opened  the 
seventh  seal,"  that  which  can  correct  the  errors  of  man  who 
shall  be  saved  from  disease  and  misery. 

How  does  Jesus  stand  by  the  side  of  His  pretended 
followers?  He  talked  and  taught  His  Christ  to  the  people, 
priests  and  doctors  talk  about  it.  Here  is  a  vast  difference. 
Jesus  put  intelligence  in  the  Christ  or  Science ;  the  Christians 


GOD  AND  MAN  341 

put  no  intelligence  in  Christ  or  Science,  but  apply  all  the 
intelligence  to  Jesus,  calling  the  Christ  a  ''power."  This 
difference  has  always  been  kept  up;  the  natural  man  cannot 
see  intelligence  in  anything  he  cannot  understand,  therefore 
Christ  or  the  intelligence  of  Jesus  is  to  him  a  mystery,  and  he 
wants  to  know  whence  it  came.  This  ignorance  on  the  part 
of  the  priests  and  the  people  originated  all  this  speculation 
about  Jesus.  The  Christ  or  higher  intelligence  to  them  was 
shrouded  in  darkness,  for  they  could  not  see  why  He,  merely  a 
man,  should  be  more  than  a  man. 

Every  one  knows  that  a  clairvoyant  state  is  different  from 
the  natural  state.  Let  me  illustrate  what  all  will  admit. 
Persons  in  a  clairvoyant  state  can  talk,  using  the  same  organs 
as  when  awake,  they  also  have  every  faculty  which  they  possess 
in  the  waking  state,  independent  of  the  natural  body,  and  space 
and  time  may  or  may  not  be  annihilated.  They  act  independ- 
ently of  any  one,  independently  of  the  natural  body  or  identity 
of  flesh  and  blood.  Now  where  is  the  identity  when  the 
natural  man  is  acting,  for  both  cannot  be  acting  at  the  same 
time?  Every  one  will  perceive  that  if  a  man  could  retain  his 
reason  and  natural  senses,  and  at  the  same  time  be  conscious 
of  the  other  state  he  would  be  a  man  beside  himself,  thus 
making  two  living  intelligences  in  one  identity  acting  through 
one  [organism].  Thus  the  clairvoyant  man  could  correct  tiiie 
errors  of  the  man  of  the  flesh  and  blood  and  keep  him  in 
subjection  to  his  wisdom. 

This  Wisdom  or  Christ  was  the  mystery  to  mankind,  this 
was  the  Christ  that  should  reign  till  all  error  should  be  subject 
to  it.  Disease  being  the  offspring  of  error,  it  deceives  the 
people,  making  them  nervous,  sick,  and  liable  to  death.  But 
it  is  the  design  of  Wisdom  that  matter  should  be  the  servant  of 
this  clairvoyant  man  or  Science,  therefore  when  Jesus  received 
this  Wisdom  He  received  God  and  man.  When  the  man  spoke 
it  was  like  any  one  else,  but  when  the  Christ  spoke  it  spoke  not 
as  man  for  that  is  of  God  or  Wisdom  from  above.  Jesus 
taught  the  people  to  distinguish  by  their  works  the  true  Christ 
from  the  false.  It  must  have  proved  its  source  by  works,  for 
He  says,  "Not  every  man  who  says,  I  am  Christ,  is  so  himself, 
but  he  who  doeth  the  will  of  the  Father  (Wisdom)  that  sent 
me." 

Let  us  see  if  a  test  can  be  found  such  as  Jesus  laid  down. 
When  He  called  his  disciples  together  He  gave  them  power  over 


342  GOD  AND  MAN 

all  unclean  spirits  and  sent  them  forth  to  heal  the  sick.  Here 
is  the  test  of  the  Christ-power  or  Wisdom.  How  did  he  apply 
it  when  he  cured  disease  ?  Of  course  if  He  was  in  this  state 
all  the  time  all  things  were  present  to  Him  so  that  not  a 
sparrow  could  fall  to  the  ground  unnoticed  hy  Him,  not  Jesus, 
for  although  Christ  was  made  known  through  Jesus,  it  was 
only  made  known  according  to  the  necessity  of  the  time  when 
He,  Jesus,  lived. 

I  will  take  one  of  His  miracles  to  show  that  Jesus  and  Christ 
acted  together.  When  the  centurion  came  to  Jesus  to  tell  Him 
that  his  servant  was  sick,  Jesus  was  not  aware  of  the  fact,  but 
immediately  became  subject  to  His  clairvoyant  [or  intuitive] 
state,  saw  the  servant  and  administered  unto  him.  Then  He 
said  to  the  centurion,  "Go,  thy  way,  and  according  to  thy  faith 
be  it  unto  thee."  So  the  centurion  left  and  the  servant  was 
healed  in  the  selfsame  hour. 

This  is  as  plain  to  me  as  any  cure  I  ever  performed.  This 
was  not  a  "power"  but  a  higher  wisdom  that  the  world  knows 
not  of.  I  will  now  introduce  myself  showing  that  I  cure  the 
same  way.  Every  one  knows  that  there  is  a  difference  in 
clairvoyance:  subjects  differ  in  the  direction  of  their  minds. 
I  do  not  practise  clairvoyance  except  with  the  sick  and  I  will 
show  others  how  to  be  clairvoyant  like  myself.  ...  To  make 
a  good  clairvoyant  one  must,  beginning  on  earth,  rid  himself 
of  all  beliefs  and  every  theory  of  man,  and  as  he  sees  the  ab- 
surdity of  his  own  opinions  he  becomes  lighted  up  in  another 
atmosphere  [on  a  higher  plane]  where  he  feels  the  discords  of 
this  world.  He  then  becomes  sensitive  to  the  errors  and  opin- 
ons  of  man.  They  affect  him  and  his  spiritual  senses  act  inde- 
pendently of  his  natural  will  or  senses ;  then  he  is  two  persons. 

This  is  my  state  as  far  as  regards  the  sick.  When  I  sit  by 
the  sick  and  take  a  patient  by  the  hand  I  feel  a  sensation;  this 
affects  me  and  the  sensation  is  produced  by  something  coming 
within  my  senses  as  a  man  of  flesh  and  blood.  This  excites 
the  spiritual  or  scientific  man,  and  the  senses  being  freed  from 
matter  or  opinions  see  the  natural  man  or  opinion  that  causes 
the  trouble.  As  I  retain  two  identities  ^  I  see  the  error  and  ex- 
plain it  to  the  natural  senses.  These  are  set  at  rest  and  har- 
mony is  restored.  I  cannot  find  language  to  explain  this  so 
that  you  will  understand  it.  .  .  . 

1  That  is,  consciousness  on  two  planes  or  levels. 


OOD  AND  MAN  343 


LOVE 


What  is  the  element  that  receives  all  sensation?  Love 
for  ourselves.  This  is  the  groundwork  or  foundation  of  all 
our  acts.  It  is  the  mortar  or  dough  in  which  all  sensation  is 
made.  Of  itself  it  contains  no  knowledge,  it  is  perfect  har- 
mony; its  elements  or  language  is  its  perfection.  It  embraces 
all  tiie  senses ;  it  is  not  Wisdom  but  the  power  Wisdom  uses  to 
bring  all  things  into  harmony  witli  itself.  To  this  world  of 
ignorance  it  is  not  known  but  admitted  and  the  matter  or  ideas 
of  this  world  is  put  into  this  element.  Like  the  ocean  it  can 
hold  all  sorts  of  ideas,  be  disturbed  to  its  lowest  depths  and 
then  calmed  by  Wisdom  so  that  not  a  ripple  on  the  surface  can 
be  seen.  But  in  the  depth  of  this  ocean  of  love  lie  all  sorts  of 
evil  spirits  that  are  gnawing  the  life  of  the  soul  and  are  iden- 
tified with  it;  this  is  the  disease  in  the  mind. 

Wlien  the  storm  of  ignorance  and  superstition  was  raging 
and  all  the  ships  or  minds  were  tossing  to  and  fro,  even  Jesus' 
disciples  were  in  danger  of  being  swamped  by  the  errors  of  the 
age :  when  their  bark  or  belief  was  just  going  down  into  hea- 
then idolatry  and  their  enemies  disturbed  their  water  or  belief, 
in  the  darkness  of  the  night  of  error,  when  there  was  no  eye  to 
see  nor  heart  to  feel,  no  arm  to  reach  out  nor  voice  to  be  heard, 
Christ  or  Truth  was  seen  walking  upon  their  waters  or  belief, 
saying  to  the  waves  "Be  still !"  And  the  wind  and  waves 
obeyed  Him  and  there  was  a  great  calm. 

This  was  the  state  of  their  minds  in  the  days  of  Jesus,  the 
people's  belief  was  the  disease  and  to  embrace  their  error  was 
taking  their  disease.  Their  misery  was  what  followed  their 
belief,  and  their  happiness  was  the  unlearning  of  their  errors. 
The  ships  were  their  theories,  the  water  was  their  mind,  and 
their  ideas  were  the  danger.  Their  wisdom  was  of  this  world 
of  matter,  but  the  wisdom  of  God  could  say  to  their  wisdom, 
"Be  thou  still,"  and  their  ideas  or  mind  and  matter  would 
obey.  The  introduction  of  Jesus'  ideas  was  a  new  heaven  or 
wisdom  and  a  new  earth  or  belief.  The  new  heaven  under 
the  wisdom  of  God  or  Science  could  create  a  new  belief  where- 
in could  be  peace  and  happiness  that  the  old  heaven  or  wis- 
dom knew  nothing  of  where  there  should  be  peace  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost  or  explanation  of  this  new  ^^x)rld,  where  no 
error,  selfishness,  or  jealousy  dwells,  so  that  all  ignorance  and 
superstition  shall  be  cast  out  into  outer  darkne«s,  never  to 
return. 


344  GOD  AND  MAN 

Now,  as  Jesus  was  walking  by  the  seaside,  seeing  the  leaders' 
ideas,  He  saw  two  men,  Andrew  and  Peter,  fishing  in  the  old 
Mosaic  laws  or  sea,  and  said  to  them,  "Follow  me  and  I  will 
make  you  teachers  of  this  truth  to  men."  So  they  abandoned 
their  nets  or  old  belief  and  followed  Him.  They  went  on  and 
saw  others  mending  their  creeds  or  nets,  for  their  nets  like  the 
priesthood  were  worn  out  and  were  like  a  garment  ready  to 
drop  to  pieces.  So  they  left  their  father  (or  old  belief)  in 
their  ships  (or  error)  and  followed  Jesus.  He  travelled  all 
through  the  land  curing  all  sorts  of  diseases,  preaching  the 
kingdom  of  Science,  and  His  fame  went  everywhere.  Great 
multitudes  followed  Him  and  He  went  up  into  a  higher  state 
or  Science  and  opened  His  mouth  to  them  in  truth  or  parables. 

The  laws  of  Moses  laid  a  tax  on  the  people  for  paying  the 
priests  to  forgive  their  sins,  and  the  doctors  exacted  a  fee  for 
forgiving  or  curing  the  sins  that  affected  the  body.  So  all 
persons  who  were  not  of  their  belief  were  strangers  and  needed 
teaching  to  have  their  eyes  opened  to  the  truth.  Their  ideas 
or  opinions  were  like  fish  in  a  great  sea,  so  they  asked  tribute 
money  or  an  answer  to  all  questions  to  pay  for  teaching  stran- 
gers. When  Jesus  came  into  Capernaum,  those  who  re- 
ceived tribute  money,  or  gave  information  in  regard  to  the 
truth,  asked  Peter  if  his  Master  paid  tribute  money  or  sought 
information  concerning  their  religion,  and  Peter  said,  "Yes." 
Then  as  he  went  inta  the  house  Jesus  said  to  Peter,  Who  pays 
tribute  money,  the  children  or  the  believers  (sceptics  or 
strangers)  ?  He  answered,  "Strangers."  Then  He  said, 
"Lest  they  be  offended  let  us  ask  a  question  for  them  to 
answer.  Go  to  the  priest  (or  sea)  and  cast  in  a  hook,  or  put  a 
question,  catch  an  idea  or  fish,  and  open  it  and  in  it  you  will 
find  an  answer,  or  a  piece  of  money.  Go  and  give  it  for  you 
and  me."  Now  this  sea,  or  belief,  was  the  ocean  which  con- 
tained all  the  wisdom  of  the  world,  for  the  preachers,  or 
spouters,  fished  in  it,  and  the  ships  were  the  little  societies  or 
churches  where  the  people  congregated  to  catch  spiritual  food. 
When  Peter  and  Andrew  left  their  father  or  belief,  their  nets 
or  society  or  ships  and  followed  Him,  then  they  left  all  for  His 
sake.  When  the  young  man  came  to  Jesus  and  asked  Him 
what  he  should  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  or  His  (Jesus')  wis- 
dom. He  said,  "  keep  the  commandments."  The  young  man 
replied,  "this  have  I  done  from  my  youth  upwards,  what  lack 
I  ?"     Then  Jesus  said,  "if  you  wish  to  be  perfect,  go  and  give 


GOD  AND  MAN  345 

your  religious  ideas  away  and  follow  the  Science  or  Me."  As 
he  could  not  understand,  he  went  away  sorrowful,  for  he  had 
much  wisdom  of  this  world.  Wlien  His  disciples  heard  this 
they  thought  it  a  hard  saying,  so  they  said  to  Him,  "we  have 
forsaken  our  old  ships  and  nets  and  even  our  father  and 
mother  for  your  sake,  what  shall  we  have?"  Jesus  said,  "if 
they  could  understand  His  truth  so  that  they  could  teach  the 
people,  they  would  sit  on  twelve  thrones  judging  or  teaching 
the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  This  they  could  not  understand 
so  when  called  upon  to  stand  up  and  defend  the  Science  they 
all  forsook  Him  and  there  never  has  been  a  person  since  Jesus 
who  has  ever  thrown  a  particle  of  light  on  His  Science.  As 
soon  as  Jesus  was  cruciiied  the  disciples  were  driven  away  or 
killed.  So  all  the  writings  fell  into  the  hands  of  men  who 
knew  nothing  of  Jesus'  Science,  they  took  the  records  and 
put  such  a  construction  on  them  as  they  pleased,  and  all  we 
have  is  the  opinions  of  men  who  lived  hundreds  of  years  after 
the  crucifixion  of  Jesus. 

They  could  not  cure  any  persons,  so  of  course  the  teachings 
of  Jesus  must  be  explained  in  some  other  way  which  did  not 
require  proof.  So  right  in  the  face  and  eyes  of  Jesus'  teach- 
ing where  He  gave  His  disciples  power  or  wisdom  and  told 
what  would  follow — that  they  should  cure  all  diseases  as  He 
did  and  perform  greater  works  than  His — the  priest  had  to 
get  over  this  by  saying  that  tlie  days  of  miracles  are  past. 
The  people  have  crucified  Christ  in  every  way  error  could  in- 
vent by  believing  in  these  fake-guides.  Now,  Jesus  stood 
alone  in  the  world  of  flesh  and  blood,  weeping  over  their  sins 
or  errors  that  bound  them  down  and  well  might  He  say  as  He 
did,  "Oh!  Jerusalem  thou  that  stoneth  the  wisdom  of  God 
and  hateth  those  that  teach  it  to  you,  how  oft  would  I  gather 
you  together  in  love  for  each  other  as  a  hen  gathers  her  chick- 
ens under  her  wings  of  sympathy,  and  run  the  risk  of  her  life 
for  her  young,"  To  them  this  was  all  nothing,  they  could  not 
see  any  sympathy  outside  of  dollars  and  cents,  or  feel  an- 
other's woes.  So  He  said  tx)  them,  "You  have  eyes  but  see 
not,  ears  but  cannot  hear  the  voice  of  misery,  and  no  heart  to 
feel  another's  woes."  Now  tliey  did  not  want  to  understand, 
for  it  would  make  them  break  off  from  their  sins,  turn  to  the 
truth  and  become  honest  and  good.  Jesus'  love  for  the  sake 
of  the  world's  happiness  He  laid  down  for  the  sins  or  belief 
of  man,  and,  was  received  into  the  bosom  of  this  love  or  sym- 


346  QOD  AND  MAN 

pathy,  which  was  pure,  not  a  selfish  idea  independent  of  all, 
but  a  love  for  the  sake  of  all. 

Jesus,  as  a  man  of  flesh  and  blood  as  we  all  are,  purified  His 
own  life,  received  this  eternal  life  in  the  name  of  Christ  and 
took  all  of  our  opinions  that  -w-ould  have  killed  Him  if  He  had 
been  ignorant  of  the  truth,  and  rose  again  pure  and  clear  from 
all  priest-craft.  He  then  denounced  the  priests  and  doctors  as 
enemies  to  the  happiness  of  man.  Now  to  be  a  follower  of 
Christ  is  to  do  things  that  He  did,  but  to  be  a  believer  in 
Christ  only  embraces  what  you  know  nothing  of  only  as  a 
belief.  There  is  a  vast  difference  between  a  belief  and  knowl- 
edge: knowledge  is  wisdom,  and  contains  no  belief,  a  belief 
is  error,  or  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  and  the  only  way  to 
detect  them  is  by  their  works  or  fruits. 

I  will  give  you  the  key  of  heaven  or  Science,  as  far  as  cor- 
recting the  errors  in  regard  to  your  health  is  concerned  so  you 
cannot  be  deceived  by  the  errors  of  the  world.  I  will  give  you 
a  sign  so  you  can  tell  the  difference  between  my  theory  as  a 
teacher  of  Christ  or  Science  and  my  opinion  as  a  man,  so  you 
need  not  be  deceived  by  false  teachers  who  will  come  and  say  to 
you,  "  I  understand  this  Science  and  can  treat  disease  as  Dr. 
Quimby  does."  Then  if  you  understand  me  you  will  answer, 
"by  your  fruits  I  shall  know  you."  Then  if  he  tells  you  how 
you  feel,  locates  a  disease  and  offers  any  opinion  in  regard  to 
your  health,  giving  you  a  glimpse  of  a  long  train  of  suffering 
which  you  are  liable  to  have,  to  such  you  can  say,  "your  fruits 
show  you  to  be  ignorant."  My  theory  teaches  me  to  look  upon 
you  as  an  intelligent  creature.  I  take  upon  myself  all  your 
feeling  and  see  all  your  troubles.  These  feelings  are  my 
knowledge  of  your  troubles  as  they  are  yours,  but  to  me  they 
contain  the  true  answer  and  when  my  explanations  satisfy 
you,  then  your  difficulty  is  gone  and  you  are  happy.  Jesus 
knew  that  the  misery  of  mankind  arose  from  their  ignorance  of 
immortality,  and  Christ  revealed  to  the  people  that  man  was 
spiritual  and  his  unhappiness  lay  in  wrong  belief.  Their  be- 
lief amounted  to  this,  that  the  natural  world  is  all  there  is,  and 
as  man  required  something  higher  to  satisfy  him  the  spiritual 
world  was  admitted  and  made  to  contain  all  sorts  of  witches 
and  frightful  things  to  keep  the  people  in  submission.  So 
this  spiritual  world  as  it  is  called,  has  never  been  investigated 
as  a  science  and  all  revelations  from  and  allusions  to  it  are 
steeped  in  mystery  and  superstition.  Thus  the  most  of  our 
identity  is  in  this  mystic  land,  we  know  only  our  bodies  and 


GOD  AND  MAN  347 

further  than  that  we  are  in  the  dark.  Christ  is  that  revelation 
or  Science  of  the  spiritual  world  which  is  the  knowledge  and 
cure  of  all  the  ills  flesh  is  heir  to. 

The  people  are  divided  into  two  classes,  followers  of  Christ 
and  followers  of  Jesus.  To  illustrate  the  difference  between 
Jesus  and  Christ  I  will  take  myself.  There  are  many  persons 
who  believe  in  my  "power"  of  healing,  as  they  call  it,  but  they 
know  nothing  of  the  truth  of  it.  So  they  make  me  as  a  man 
responsible  for  my  acts  or  my  belief  in  all  things.  Thus  my 
private  character  as  a  man  is  brought  into  my  belief,  just  as 
though  I  could  not  be  a  teacher  of  truth  unless  my  character 
as  a  man  were  in  harmony  with  the  errors  of  the  world.  Now, 
I  stand  before  the  people  judged  according  to  my  outward 
acts,  by  one  class  and  by  my  Science  by  another ;  so  if  I  should 
put  on  the  cloak  of  hypocrisy,  attend  church  and  be  very  strict 
in  all  things  pertaining  to  the  wisdom  of  the  world,  I  should 
be  received  by  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  but  the  scientific 
would  look  upon  me  as  a  hypocrite.  Jesus'  private  character 
as  a  man  had  just  as  much  to  do  with  Christ  as  P.  P.  Quimby 
has  to  do  with  his  cures.  Jesus  as  a  man  knew  nothing  of 
Christ,  neither  does  P.  P.  Quimby  as  a  man  know  anything 
of  this  Wisdom  or  Truth,  but  when  he  feels  it  he  speaks  not  as 
P.  P.  Q.  but  as  the  patient's  troubles  reveal  it  to  him.  This 
Science  of  P.  P.  Q.  takes  the  sins  or  troubles  and  the  answer 
is  accompanied  by  the  feelings.  Thus  P.  P.  Q.  is  the  medium 
of  the  Truth  to  correct  the  errors  of  the  world,  just  as  Jesus 
was  the  medium  of  God  or  Science  to  convince  man  of  his 
errors  and  lead  him  to  Christ,  health,  or  Truth.  ^ 

I  will  take  myself  as  a  figure.  Suppose  music  had  never 
been  reduced  to  a  science  and  I  had  discovered  that  it  could 
be  taught  to  others,  and  I  undertook  to  teach  it,  and  I  called 
the  Science,  Christ.  Then  it  would  be  P.  P.  Quimb/s  Christ 
or  theory.  Suppose  you  should  try  to  learn  it  so  as  to  teach 
it.  Would  my  Christ  or  theory  have  anything  to  do  with  my 
character  as  a  man  ?  All  will  say,  no.  If  I  am  a  very  good 
man,  that  has  nothing  to  do  with  my  science,  only  to  make  it 
more  admired,  or  it  might  make  persons  give  more  heed  to 

1  These  statements  show  plainly  why  Quimby  did  not  claim  his 
Christian  Science  as  a  special  "revelation,"  and  why  he  took  no 
credit  to  himself  as  expounder  of  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  Bible. 
The  Science  or  Christ  is  not  dependent  on  persons,  Iwoks,  or  organ- 
izations.    It   is  demonstrable   by   its   works   or   "fruits." 


348  GOD  AND  MAN 

what  I  say.  Now  suppose  I  am  as  bad  a  man  as  I  can  be,  does 
that  prevent  me  from  teaching  my  Christ  or  Science?  Now 
suppose  the  wisdom  of  the  world  sits  in  judgment  on  me,  they 
all  admit  that  I  play  very  well,  but  that  I  do  not  know  any 
more  about  it  than  they  do.  So  they  say  he  has  a  power  which 
is  of  God,  but  he  knows  nothing  of  it  himself.  So  they  put  all 
the  power  on  me  as  a  man  and  call  my  music  P.  P.  Q's  music. 
Now  suppose  I  am  a  very  good  man  and  a  pattern  of  society, 
kind  in  my  manners  and  the  possessor  of  every  quality  which 
is  necessary  to  a  very  good  man  of  this  world.  Here  are  two 
classes  who  profess  to  be  believers  in  me,  one  the  scientific  and 
the  other  the  aristocratic  or  ignorant,  but  as  they  cannot  agree 
it  is  left  for  me  to  decide.  So  I  decide  in  this  way.  All  you 
who  believe  in  me  as  a  scientific  musician  of  Christ,  and  under- 
stand the  Science,  shall  teach  as  I  do ;  and  all  you  who  do  not 
understand  but  believe  that  I,  the  man,  P.  P.  Quimby,  have  a 
power  that  you  acknowledge,  shall  be  called  followers  of  me ;  so 
you  undertake  to  follow  me  by  acting  as  I  do  and  try  to  imitate 
my  character.  Of  course  we  should  prefer  a  person  who  is 
amiable  and  pleasant,  if  he  is  a  teacher  of  any  science,  but  it  is 
not  absolutely  necessary  that  he  should  be  a  good  or  a  bad  man. 
So  far  as  Jesus  stands  I  do  not  pretend  to  be  or  not  to  be  a 
disciple  of  Jesus,  for  I  let  my  life  and  acts  as  a  man  speak  for 
themselves.  I  do  not  pin  my  belief  on  Jesus'  character,  nor 
do  I  care  anything  about  it  any  more  than  He  did  Himself. 
Like  all  men  who  are  willing  to  be  judged  by  their  acts.  He 
let  His  character  speak  for  itself.  It  was  the  Christ  that 
Jesus  was  proud  of,  and  so  all  men  ought  to  be  proud  of  any 
science  that  would  make  the  world  wiser  and  better.  I  profess 
to  be  a  disciple  of  Christ,  not  of  Jesus  or  the  man.  I  let  my 
man  speak  for  himself,  but  I  believe  in  Christ,  which  I  put  in 
practice  on  all  those  who  live  in  this  world  of  misery  without 
this  Science.  So  all  my  prayers  are  offered  to  Christ,  not 
Jesus.  The  world  prays  to  Jesus,  but  Jesus  prayed  to  God  to 
forgive  or  teach  them,  for  they  knew  not  what  they  prayed  to. 
Now  this  Christ  is  in  this  element  of  love  or  sympathy  that 
contains  no  error,  but  is  an  element  of  pure  love  that  will  wash 
away  all  error  that  chances  to  get  into  it.  It  knows  no  evil,  it 
sees  no  wrong  in  itself,  it  is  perfect  harmony  and  attraction. 
It  contains  our  higher  senses.  So  it  is  as  it  were  our  life,  and 
all  that  is  good  and  harmonious.     It  seeks  the  wisdom  of  this 


QOD  AND  MAN  349 

world  of  error,  as  a  person  seeks  gold  to  purify  the  gold  from 
the  dross.  Its  happiness  is  the  developing  of  God's  love  or 
Science,  it  analyzes  all  misery  and  trouble  to  liberate  the  soul 
that  is  bound  in  this  world  of  error.  ^ — July,  1860. 


1  Dr.  Quimby's  idea  of  Jesus  was  midway  between  the  humanism 
of  those  who  deemed  Him  "mere  man"  and  the  theological  teachings 
of  those  who  called  Jesus  "our  Lord"  or  "the  Lord."  Xo  merely 
humanistic  conception  could  account  for  "the  Christ"  or  Divine 
wisdom  disclosed  as  univeraal,  the  source  of  all  true  Science. 


XVIII 
EELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

DEFENCE   AGAINST  AN   ACCUSATION    OF    MAKING 
MYSELF  EQUAL  TO  CHRIST 

I  am  often  accused  of  making  myself  equal  with  Christ. 
When  I  ask  what  Christ  is  I  am  told  that  Jesus  Christ  is  one 
and  the  same.  If  I  ask  if  Jesus  the  man  was  God,  the  answer 
is,  "no,  but  God  manifest  in  the  flesh."  Then  can  flesh  and 
blood  be  God  ?  "No."  Then  what  was  that  being  of  flesh  and 
blood  crucified  eighteen  hundred  years  ago  ?  "Jesus  Christ." 
Is  Christ  God?  "Yes."  Is  God  flesh  and  blood ?  "No."  Will 
you  give  some  idea  of  what  that  being  was  called  Jesus 
Christ?  "Why,  that  God  took  upon  Himself  flesh  and 
blood."  Then  what  took  upon  itself  flesh  and  blood? 
"God."  Is  God  a  substance  ?  "No."  Then  can  that  which  is 
not  matter  take  matter  upon  itself  ?  "You  ask  too  many  ques- 
tions." Well,  if  you  cannot  answer  my  questions,  must  I 
believe  what  you  say  without  any  proof?  "No,  but  we  have 
the  Bible  and  that  says  Christ  is  God."  Well  suppose  it  does 
and  you  are  asked  to  explain  Christ,  and  I  receive  this  answer, 
"God  manifest  in  the  flesh."  When  I  ask  to  have  this  ex- 
plained I  get  no  correct  answer.  Some  think  words  are  all 
that  is  necessary,  so  they  quibble  about  the  name  "Christ," 
said  to  mean  "anointed."  Well,  anointed  is  the  name  of 
something  and  this  is  what  I  want  explained.  To  call  it  Christ 
or  Messiah,  the  Prince  of  Peace  or  God,  is  only  hopping  from 
one  name  to  another.  I  want  to  know  what  made  Jesus 
different  from  other  men.  His  birth  I  care  nothing  about, 
nor  is  it  of  consequence  why  He  was  called  Jesus  Christ.  If 
different  from  otlier  men  how  was  the  world  benefited  by 
that  difference  ? 

Jesus  was  a  man  of  flesh  and  blood  like  any  one  else.  The 
difference  between  Him  and  other  men  was  called  Christ. 
Now  what  did  the  difference  consist  in?  "In  His  life." 
What  had  His  life  to  do  with  the  healing  of  the  sick?  Has 
your  life  anything  to  do  with  healing  a  palsied  limb  ?     "No." 

350 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  351 

Then  your  good  life  cannot  cure  diseases?  Did  Jesus'  life 
cure?  "Yes."  Then  you  must  not  claim  to  be  a  disciple  of 
Jesus,  for  if  you  claim  to  be  a  good  man  and  we  see  no  proof 
of  your  goodness  on  others,  your  goodness  is  of  this  world 
and  not  of  Christ.  You  say  He  had  a  "power,"  now  what  do 
you  mean  by  a  power  ?  We  call  steam  a  power  and  electricity  a 
power  but  no  one  ever  associates  wisdom  with  it.  Do  you 
mean  that  Jesus'  power  was  like  the  above,  or  was  it  what  He 
said  and  did?  "It  was  in  what  He  said  and  did."  Well, 
what  did  He  do ?  Did  He  not  cure  the  sick?  "Yes."  Well, 
how  did  He  do  it  ?  Was  it  His  power  ?  "Yes,  it  came  from 
God."  Did  you  not  say  that  Jesus  was  God  ?  "Yes."  Then 
how  could  God  come  from  one  place  when  you  and  I  believe 
that  God  fills  all  space?  "Well,  there  is  a  mystery  in  the 
Godhead  or  trinity  that  man  cannot  find  out  or  understand." 
Was  not  the  Bible  written  for  our  understanding?  "Yes, 
but  mystery  cannot  be  found  out,  so  we  have  no  right  to 
penetrate  the  ways  of  God,  for  there  is  enough  in  the  Bible 
to  learn  and  make  us  happy  without  searching  into  the 
mysteries  of  another  world."  If  the  Bible  was  not  for  man's 
belief  what  was  it  for  ?  If  we  are  to  take  it  for  the  Word  of 
God,  who  is  to  explain  it?  "It  explains  itself."  Do  you 
understand  it?  "In  a  measure."  What  do  I  understand  by 
your  answer?  Can  you  give  me  any  more  light  in  regard  to 
what  Christ  is  than  you  have?  "No."  Then  I  am  as  igno- 
rant as  I  was  when  I  began.  "Give  me  your  opinion  of 
Jesus  Christ."  Well,  if  you  will  listen  I  will  tell  you  what 
I  know  of  Christ  and  what  I  believe  of  the  man  Jesus.  .  .  . 

RELIGION  IN  DISEASE 

The  question  is  often  asked  why  I  talk  about  religion  and 
quote  Scripture  while  I  cure  the  sick.  My  answer  is  that 
sickness  being  what  follows  a  belief  the  belief  contains  the  evil 
which  I  must  correct.  As  I  do  this  a  chemical  change  takes 
place.  Disease  is  an  error  the  only  remedy  for  which  is  the 
truth.  The  fear  of  what  will  come  after  death  is  the  begin- 
ning of  man's  troubles,  for  he  tries  to  get  evidence  that  he  will 
be  happy,  and  the  fear  that  he  will  never  arrive  at  happiness 
makes  him  miserable. 

We  are  taught  to  believe  that  if  we  pray  we  shall  receive 
an  answer  to  our  prayer.  A  superstitious  person  believing 
this  is  ready  to  believe  that  he  may  be  punished,  for  some  one 


353  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

may  pray  that  God  may  remove  him.  Each  army  prays  that 
God  will  direct  the  weapons  that  will  slay  their  enemies.  In 
biblical  times  did  not  God  answer  the  prayer  of  those  who 
wished  to  destroy  their  enemies  and  did  they  not  die?  The 
facts  prove  that  what  we  believe  may  follow.  We  really  be- 
lieve in  disease,  hence  it  is  the  result  of  our  belief.  People 
never  seem  to  have  thought  that  they  are  responsible  for  their 
belief.  To  analyze  their  beliefs  is  to  know  themselves,  which 
is  the  greatest  study  of  man.  All  theories  for  the  happiness 
of  man  contain  more  misery  than  happiness,  either  directly  or 
indirectly.  To  destroy  the  beliefs  of  man  is  to  leave  him  where 
God  left  him:  to  work  out  happiness  by  His  own  wisdom. 
One  half  of  the  diseases  arise  from  a  false  belief  in  the  Bible. 
It  may  seem  strange  that  the  belief  in  the  Bible  affects  us,  yet 
every  belief  affects  us  more  or  less,  directly  or  indirectly. 

I  will  relate  a  case  where  the  religious  belief  affected  the 
patient  and  caused  the  disease.  The  lady  was  aged.  She  was 
so  lame  and  bound  down  that  she  could  hardly  rise  from  her 
chair,  and  could  take  only  a  step  by  the  aid  of  her  crutches, 
feeling  so  heavy  that  she  dare  not  step.  In  this  condition 
she  had  lived  some  years,  and  all  the  happiness  she  had 
was  in  reading  and  thinking  on  the  Bible.  She  was  a  Cal- 
vinist  Baptist  and  by  her  belief  she  had  imprisoned  her  senses 
[consciousness]  in  a  creed  so  small  and  contracted  that  she 
could  not  stand  upright  or  move  ahead.  Here  in  this  tomb  of 
Calvin  her  senses  were  laid,  wrapt  in  her  creed.  Yet  in  this 
tomb  was  Christ  or  Science,  trying  to  burst  the  bars  and  break 
through  the  bands  and  rise  from  the  dead.  She  labored  to 
be  free  from  the  bands  and  no  one  came  to  her  relief.  When 
she  would  ask  for  an  explanation  of  some  passage  the  answer 
would  be  a  stone,  and  then  she  would  hunger  for  the  bread  of 
life.  At  last  in  her  misery  she  called  upon  me  and  I  found  her 
as  I  have  stated.  I  knew  not  what  caused  her  trouble.  She 
thought  it  was  from  a  fall.  After  explaining  how  she  felt,  I 
told  her  her  trouble  was  caused  by  a  series  of  excitements 
from  studying  upon  what  she  could  not  reconcile.  She 
thought  upon  religious  subjects  and  not  seeing  the  Scrip- 
tures clearly  her  mind  became  cloudy  and  stagnated.  This 
showed  itself  on  the  body  by  her  heavy  and  sluggish  feeling 
which  would  terminate  in  paralysis.  She  said  she  could  not 
understand  how  her  belief  could  make  her  so  numb. 

I  said  to  her,  you  will  admit  I  have  described  your  feelings. 


EELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  353 

'^Certainly,"  she  replied.  Then,  said  I,  what  do  you  suppose 
Jesus  meant  by  these  words,  "a  little  while  I  am  with  you, 
then  I  go  my  way,"  and  "you  shall  seek  for  me  and  where  I 
go  ye  cannot  come."  Do  you  believe  that  Jesus  went  to  hea- 
ven? "Yes,"  she  replied.  Now  let  me  tell  you  what  I  think 
He  meant  by  these  words.  I  had  told  her  before  that  in  order 
to  cure  her  I  must  make  a  change  in  the  fluids  and  produce  a 
healthy  circulation,  for  she  by  her  belief  had  produced  stag- 
nation. You  have  admitted  that  1  have  told  you  your  feelings. 
Then  I  was  with  you  as  Christ  was  with  His  disciples  in  sym- 
pathy. And  when  I  go  my  way  I  go  into  health  and  am  not 
in  sympathy  with  your  feelings.  Therefore  where  I  go  you 
cannot  come,  for  you  are  in  Calvin's  belief,  and  I  am  in  health. 

This  explanation  produced  an  instantaneous  sensation,  and 
a  change  came  over  her  mind.  This  mortal  put  on  immortal- 
ity or  health,  and  she  exclaimed  in  joy,  "This  is  a  true  answer 
to  my  thoughts."  I  continued  explaining  Scripture  and  a 
complete  change  took  place.  She  walked  without  her 
crutches.  Her  case  is  so  singular  an  example  of  my  practice, 
that  I  will  give  the  substance  of  my  reasoning.  It  seemed  as 
though  all  her  feelings  were  in  her  belief,  and  if  I  wished  to 
give  her  an  idea  of  them  I  would  make  a  comparison  from  the 
Bible.  She  was  as  it  were  dead  in  sin  or  error,  and  to  brin^ 
her  to  life  or  truth  was  to  raise  her  from  the  dead.  I  quoted 
the  resurrection  of  Christ  and  applied  it  to  her  own  Christ  or 
health,  and  produced  a  powerful  effect  on  her.  I  commenced 
in  this  way: 

Your  belief  is  the  sepulchre  in  which  your  wisdom  is  con- 
fined. The  world  is  your  enemy.  Your  opinions  and  ideas 
are  your  garments,  and  the  truth  is  the  Holy  Ghost  or  angel 
which  will  roll  away  the  stone  and  heal  your  grief.  The  God 
in  you  will  burst  the  bands  of  your  creed  and  you  will 
rise  from  the  dead  or  your  belief  into  the  truth.  You  will 
then  walk  into  the  sitting  room,  and  the  friends  will  start  as 
though  5'ou  were  a  spirit,  and  you  will  say,  "Hath  a  spirit 
flesh  and  bones  as  ye  see  me  have?  Give  me  a  chair."  Then 
the  friends  will  inquire  where  tlie  Christ  is.  The  trutli  will 
say,  "She  has  risen  from  her  old  religious  body  of  sin  and 
death  and  gone  to  meet  her  friends  in  heaven."  Then  will 
come  false  ideas,  and  as  tliey  cannot  see  the  truth,  the  body 
being  changed  to  them  will  seem  to  be  gone,  and  they  will 
report  it  stolen.     You  will  leave  the  body  of  belief  and  take 


354  BELIQI0U8  QUESTIONS 

that  of  Science  and  rise  into  health.  This  is  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead. 

This  witli  the  explanation  produced  such  an  effect  on  the 
lady  that  she  could  rise  from  her  chair  as  quickly  as  any 
person  of  her  age. 

The  natural  world  is  full  of  figures  that  may  illustrate 
man's  belief.  The  silk  worm  spins  out  his  life  and  wrapping 
himself  in  his  labor  dies.  The  infidel  and  brutal  man  reason 
that  they  do  the  same.  The  caterpillar  is  a  good  illustration 
of  the  natural  man  groping  in  the  dark,  guided  by  a  superior 
wisdom  that  prompts  his  acts.  When  his  days  are  numbered, 
wrapt  in  the  mantle  of  this  earth  he  lies  down  to  sleep  the 
sleep  of  death;  but  the  Wisdom  that  brings  forth  the  butter- 
fly, also  develops  its  science.  In  order  that  truth  may  come 
forth,  error  must  be  destroyed,  and  Science  groping  in  dark- 
ness bursts  into  light  and  rises  from  the  dead  as  the  butterfly, 
not  the  caterpillar. 

All  men  have  sinned  or  embraced  beliefs,  so  all  must  die  to 
their  belief.  Disease  is  a  belief;  health  is  in  Wisdom.  So 
as  man  dies  to  his  belief  he  lives  in  Wisdom.  My  theory  is 
to  destroy  death  or  belief  and  bring  life  and  Wisdom  into  the 
world,  therefore  I  come  to  the  sick,  not  to  save  their  beliefs  or 
life  in  disease,  but  to  destroy  it.  And  he  that  loseth  his  belief 
for  Wisdom  will  find  his  health  or  life. 

I  will  now  give  what  I  believe  to  be  the  ideas  of  Jesus  on 
the  resurrection.  I  address  my  words  to  the  sick,  for  I  cannot 
make  illustrations  for  the  well;  they  are  not  afi'ected  [in  the 
same  way]  by  their  belief.  According  to  the  Scriptures  sin 
is  a  transgression  of  the  law.  What  law  ?  It  must  be  of  God, 
for  it  says,  "the  soul  that  sinneth  shall  surely  die."  So  sin  is 
death,  and  the  law  to  which  man  is  liable  whose  penalty  is 
death  is  God's  law.  Therefore  God  is  supposed  to  make 
laws  to  punish  man  for  his  thought,  for  every  idle  word  is  to  be 
accounted  for.  This  law  heads  countless  evils  and  it  is  the 
part  of  Wisdom  to  correct  it.  But  to  believe  that  God  is  the 
author  of  our  evils  is  as  absurd  as  to  believe  that  He  made  the 
remedies  and  laws  before  He  made  man.  How  often  do  you 
hear  this  remark:  "There  is  a  remedy  for  every  disease." 
When  we  ask  what  it  is,  we  are  referred  to  some  root  or  herb. 
But  no  hint  is  ever  given  that  disease  can  be  cured  by  the 
power  of  Truth. 

Did  Jesus  employ  such  remedies?    On  the  contrary  had 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  355 

not  the  sick  whom  He  cured  tried  them  ?  He  said :  "my 
words  are  life  eternal,  and  by  my  words  I  cure  all  manner 
of  diseases,"  If  the  palsied  limb  was  the  thing  to  be  cured, 
why  did  He  say  to  the  man :  "Stretch  forth  thy  hand,  and 
immediately  it  was  made  whole?"  Why  did  He  not  apply 
remedies  to  the  arm  ?  The  fact  was  Jesus  knew  that  the  arm 
was  not  the  cause  but  the  effect,  and  he  addressed  Himself  to 
the  intelligence,  and  applied  His  wisdom  to  the  cause.  "He 
spake  as  never  man  spake,"  for  He  spoke  to  the  cause.  But 
when  man  speaks  he  gives  an  opinion.  All  the  acts  of  Jesus 
were  based  on  Truth,  while  man  acts  from  an  opinion  and 
chooses  darkness  rather  than  light.  The  light  of  truth  will 
show  man  his  error.  He  shrinks  from  investigating  his  belief 
since  he  knows  it  cannot  stand  the  test  of  Science.  It  is  folly 
to  apply  an  inanimate  something  to  cure  an  inanimate  disease, 
for  neither  contains  any  intelligence.  If  a  man's  face  is  dirty 
and  he  is  satisfied,  there  is  no  disease ;  but  if  it  troubles  him, 
the  trouble  is  in  him  not  in  the  dirt.  To  cure  him  would  be  to 
tell  him  to  wash.  If  the  person  believes  he  is  cured,  the  water 
proves  that  what  was  told  him  was  true. 

The  war  between  my  patients  and  myself  is  here :  they  make 
disease  the  dirt,  I  make  the  dirt  the  cause.  They  put  intel- 
ligence in  the  dirt.  I  put  intelligence  in  the  person.  To 
cure  him  I  must  convince  him  that  the  dirt  is  nothing  that 
need  trouble  him,  and  that  water  will  remove  it.  By  know- 
ing the  truth  they  are  able  to  remove  the  cause.  The  doctors 
put  the  trouble  in  the  dirt  as  though  the  trouble  and  the  dirt 
were  one  and  the  same.  They  never  address  the  intelligence, 
but  the  opinions,  while  the  cause  being  unintelligent,  like  the 
dirt,  affects  tlie  intelligence  and  is  reflected  on  the  body. 

JESUS'  HEALING  AND  HIS  MISSION 

Why  should  there  be  such  a  controversy  in  regard  to  the 
way  in  which  Jesus  cured  disease,  also  what  was  the  real  ob- 
ject of  His  mission  in  this  world?  These  questions  naturally 
arise  in  the  minds  of  men  and  bring  up  doubts.  By  some  it  is 
believed  that  Jesus  came  to  save  man  from  being  lost  in 
another  world  and  it  is  thought  that  He  intended  to  reform 
the  world.  All  admit  He  had  a  gift  superior  to  other  men  but 
what  it  was  has  never  been  ascertained.  The  same  contro- 
versy was  going  on  in  the  days  of  Jesus  and  in  fact  it  has 
always  been  a  mystery  to  the  natural  man.     Phenomena  are 


356  BELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

taking  place  everywhere  proving  this  power  or  gift  and  all 
admit  it,  but  as  yet  it  has  not  been  reduced  to  a  science  so  that 
it  can  be  taught  and  learned.  Its  opponents  speak  as  though 
it  were  governed  by  natural  laws,  but  when  asked  to  put  these 
laws  into  practice  they  get  off  by  saying,  "Why  it  is  nothing 
but  mesmerism."  When  asked  to  explain  mesmerism  they 
say  it  is  "psychology."  Ask  what  psychology  is,  the  answer 
is  mesmerism.  So  the  world  is  as  wise  as  before.  Mesmer 
tried  to  explain  this  power  on  the  ground  of  electricity. 
Those  who  believe  it  is  governed  by  some  law  attribute  it  to 
galvanism.  The  religious  classes  vary.  The  spiritualists  as- 
cribe it  to  the  spirits  of  the  dead ;  Christians  to  the  power  of 
God  when  speaking  of  Jesus,  but  when  they  speak  of  this  power 
in  man  they  attribute  it  to  natural  causes.  Some  say  it  is  the 
power  of  the  devil.  When  Herod  the  king  was  told  Jesus  was 
performing  cures  he  said  it  was  John  the  Baptist,  that  is, 
John's  spirit  came  and  took  possession  of  Jesus  and  cured 
disease.  W^hen  the  Pharisees  asked  Jesus  where  it  came  from, 
Jesus  said  if  they  would  tell  Him  where  John's  power  came 
from  then  He  would  tell  them  how  He  performed  his  cures. 
This  they  could  not  do.  So  it  has  never  been  explained.  Set- 
tle this  point  and  you  establish,  a  basis  for  investigation.  As 
it  stands  it  puts  Jesus  on  a  level  with  all  the  spiritualists  of 
His  day.  11  it  is  a  gift  or  power,  why  should  He  be  called  God 
or  anything  else  above  His  followers  ?  And  if  He  knew  how 
He  wrought  miracles  it  is  knowledge  and  not  a  gift,  and  to 
call  it  a  gift  or  power  is  depriving  Jesus  of  any  knowledge 
superior  to  His  followers.  When  it  is  admitted  as  a  Science 
that  Jesus  taught  for  the  happiness  of  man,  man  will  try  to 
learn  it.  Then  the  inquiry  will  be  made,  how  can  it  be  proved 
a  Science  ?  I  answer,  never  till  the  people  admit  that  matter 
and  mind  are  under  direction  of  Intelligence  superior  to  mat- 
ter. Then  man  will  take  a  higher  standard  and  be  governed 
by  Science,  not  mind.  When  matter  becomes  subject  to 
Science  and  is  the  medium  or  power  to  be  put  in  motion,  this 
medium  or  matter  can  be  changed  into  any  form  or  state  and 
be  destroyed  but  not  lost.  The  identity  of  a  thing  can  be  put 
out  of  this  world,  as  it  is  called,  and  only  remains  as  a  thing 
that  once  was  but  now  is  not. 

I  will  give  an  illustration:  Suppose  a  person  believes  he 
has  a  tumor  in  his  left  side.  His  error  believes  in  the  idea  of 
tumors  independent  of  his  mind;  he  then  admits  an  error  to 


BELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  357 

begin  with.  His  mind  gives  direction  to  matter  and  the  idea 
is  formed;  this  seems  to  be  proof  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as 
a  tumor.  No  one  will  deny  tliat  one  is  a  phenomenon  brouglit 
about  by  false  knowledge,  and  that  true  knowledge  or  Science 
can  destroy  that  tumor  or  idea  and  establisb  a  knowledge  of 
the  truth  that  will  prevent  the  person  from  being  deceived 
into  that  error  again  .  .  .  Our  bodies  [in  relation  to  mind] 
are  nothing  but  an  idea  of  matter  that  is  either  under  the  con- 
trol of  error  or  false  knowledge,  or  under  the  control  of  Sci- 
ence or  true  knowledge.  If  Truth  or  Science  reigns,  all  goes 
well;  if  error  reigns  the  wage  is  death,  for  all  acts  of  error 
lead  to  death ;  death  is  an  idea  or  matter/  and  all  the  acts  of 
Science  destroy  death  and  lead  to  life  and  happiness. 

RELIGION 

What  does  Jesus  mean  by  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?  We  all 
know  the  common  opinion  was  that  heaven  was  a  place.  Some 
suppose  it  to  be  a  state  of  mind.  Had  Jesus  either  of  these 
ideas  ?  I  say  He  did  not,  and  will  show  what  His  ideas  were. 
God  is  represented  as  all  wisdom  and  love.  Now  love  is  not 
wisdom,  but  a  desire  for  wisdom,  and  a  desire  to  get  wisdom 
for  the  sake  of  happiness  that  follows  is  the  highest  love. 
This  is  heaven  and  to  be  deprived  of  this  love  is  to  be  out  of 
heaven.  The  sick  are  strangers  to  this  heaven.  It  is  true 
they  have  a  sort  of  love  but  it  is  governed  by  the  light  or  wis- 
dom of  man.  This  leads  to  death.  The  sick  being  strangers, 
are  deceived  into  a  false  belief  that  lulls  them  to  sleep.  To 
cure  them  it  is  necessary  to  arouse  them  from  their  lethargy 
and  show  them  their  errors. 

I  will  now  give  the  true  conversion  of  a  sick  man  of  this 
world  converted  to  the  religion  of  Christ  or  cured  intelligently, 
and  also  one  converted  from  one  disease  or  error  to  another. 
I  call  all  error  disease  that  leads  to  death.  The  remedy  is 
religion  or  a  knowledge  of  the  Truth  that  will  save  us  from  the 
evils  that  flow  from  our  sins.  To  illustrate  the  different  forms 
of  religion  is  to  show  the  different  modes  of  restoring  the  lost 
child  of  disease  to  health  and  happiness.  To  show  how  Jesus 
differed  from  all  others  is  to  show  each  religion  separately  and 
■  how  the  belief  affects  mankind. 

All  will  admit  that  Jesus  opposed  the  religion  by  which  med- 
ical men  and  priests  used  to  save  the  people  from  sins  or  evils 

1  This  is  explained  below,  Chap.  XIX. 


358  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

called  diseases.  For  to  be  diseased  was  an  evil  and  the  sick 
were  dealt  with  accordingly,  and  the  false  idea  that  the  sins  or 
diseases  of  the  parents  are  visited  upon  the  children  is  handed 
down  to  this  generation.^  To  save  them  from  their  sins  was 
to  cure  tliem  of  their  disease.  .  .  . 

Now  what  was  the  idea  the  world  had  of  heaven?  People 
never  had  such  an  idea  as  Christians  have  now.  They 
never  seriously  believed  in  any  other  world.  But  their  suf- 
fering was  their  evil  and  to  be  cured  was  their  heaven  or  hap- 
piness. For  this  object  they  employed  every  means  in  their 
power  according  to  their  belief.  The  people  were  taught  that 
there  were  certain  rivers  and  pools  the  angels  would  disturb 
and  all  who  visited  them  were  healed.  Certain  diseases  were 
held  so  sinful  that  the  victims  were  kept  aloof  from  the  people 
till  the  priest  cured  them.  So  their  religion  was  all  for  their 
health  or  happiness.  It  is  true  there  was  a  small  class  who 
believed  that  at  the  end  of  the  world  the  dead  would  rise. 

Jesus  called  the  people  to  Him  and  said,  "Beware  of  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  for  their  doctrines  bind 
burdens  on  you."  It  made  them  superstitious;  made  them 
believe  in  ghosts,  spirits,  and  all  sorts  of  juggling.  This  kept 
the  people  under  the  rule  of  the  priests  who  invented  all  sorts 
of  craft  to  deceive,  pretending  to  take  away  sins  so  that  God 
would  not  torment  them  with  evil  spirits  and  disease.  Jesus 
knew  it  all  in  their  belief,  and  if  He  could  introduce  a 
higher  principle  or  better  mode  of  reasoning  that  could  take 
away  their  sins  or  errors  so  that  they  would  be  more  enlight- 
ened, He  would  be  doing  them  a  great  favor,  and  would  estab- 
lish universal  truth  that  would  work  out  a  more  excellent  law. 
To  do  this  it  was  necessary  to  bring  proof  of  His  superior  wis- 
dom. He  was  talking  about  this  great  truth  called  God  that 
governs  every  true  and  scientific  mind.  He  made  two  worlds, 
one  the  natural  or  superstitious  man  that  all  were  in:  the 
other  tiie  scientific  man,  which  He  called  a  resurrection  from 
the  dead.  Not  that  the  dead  rose,  for  if  you  cannot  get  a  man 
out  of  his  error  there  is  no  resurrection.  As  Paul  says  (1  Cor. 
XV,  12),  if  Christ  (or  this  Science)  be  preached  that  it  rose 
from  the  dead  (or  error)  how  say  some  among  3'ou  that  there 
is  no  higher  truth  than  man's  opinion?  As  Science  is  spirit- 
ual it  must  be  explained  by  literal  things.     So  Jesus  used 

1  Quimljy  did  not  believe  in  the  heredity  of  disease  save  so  far 
as  one  generation  adopts  the  beliefs   (not  the  diseases)   of  another. 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  359 

parables  to  explain  how  this  truth  grows  in  the  minds,  and 
he  takes  for  example  a  little  child,  before  its  mind  is  filled  with 
errors  of  tiie  priest  as  a  figure  of  heaven.  Not  that  the  mind 
contains  any  wisdom,  but  like  the  soil  of  the  earth  it  is  pure 
from  foul  seeds  or  error,  ready  to  receive  the  true  seed  of  wis- 
dom. He  says,  "Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven:"  this 
truth  could  live  and  grow  in  the  child.  Not  that  heaven  or 
kingdom  was  happiness,  but  happiness  was  in  the  one  who 
entered  into  it.  But  as  the  kingdom  grew,  false  ideas  would 
creep  in ;  for  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  Jesus  ever  intended 
to  make  His  kingdom  perfect  till  every  enemy  or  error  should 
be  destroyed.  So  he  likens  it  unto  a  great  many  things,  to  a 
sower  in  a  field,  and  an  enemy  sowing  in  the  same  field.  Here 
you  have  good  seed  and  bad  seed,  truth  and  error,  good  and 
evil.  But  the  good  was  good,  and  the  bad  was  bad,  and  they 
never  mingled. 

I  will  take  a  person  as  he  would  come  to  Jesus,  and  show 
how  He  preached  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Take  the  little 
child.  Jesus  asked  how  long  this  child  had  been  in  this  way, 
(Mark  IX,  21).  When  told.  He  said,  "Do  you  believe  all 
things  possible  with  God?"  They  said,  "Yes."  So  then 
He  cured  the  child,  not  by  a  "power,"  but  by  His  wisdom, 
for  He  knew  what  He  was  about.  So  their  faith  in  Him 
kept  the  child  from  having  any  more  fits.  All  His  cures 
went  to  prove  His  theory  of  the  Christ,  which  He  preached 
and  illustrated  by  parables,  and  proved  by  showing  Himself 
to  the  multitude  after  they  believed  Him  dead.  The  identity 
of  it  was  a  body,  and  the  doctrine  of  it  was  its  blood.  So  He 
says,  "if  you  eat  not  my  flesh  and  drink  not  my  blood,  you 
have  no  life  in  you." 

I  will  give  an  illustration.  Suppose  a  person  comes  to  me 
to  learn  navigation.  I  say,  "You  must  be  born  again,  for  your 
ideas  of  navigation  are  all  false."  He  says,  How  can  I  learn  or 
be  born  again  when  I  am  so  old?  I  answer,  "You  must  be 
born  in  the  science  of  navigation."  This  he  cannot  under- 
stand, but  still  he  wishes  to  learn.  So  I  begin  to  explain.  As 
he  begins  to  learn,  this  is  called  the  love  that  is  spoken  of  with 
which  God  so  loved  the  world.  Now,  love  for  wisdom  prompts 
him  to  learn,  and  as  he  learns  his  happiness  is  full.  This  is 
entering  into  heaven.  This  is  the  heaven  God  has  prepared 
for  every  one  who  will  try  to  learn,  and  if  every  one  will  search 
for  God  or  Wisdom  God  will  not  cast  him  off. 


360  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

I  will  apply  tliis  to  disease.  I  take  upon  myself  your  in- 
firmities that  I  may  lead  you  to  health,  for  health  to  you  is 
heaven.  The  love  for  health  prompts  you  to  come.  My  love 
for  you  prompts  me  to  lead  you  to  health.  This  I  do  by 
teaching  you  the  errors  of  your  belief  and  showing  you  where 
you  have  been  deceivd.  The  truth  like  love  leads  you  to  see 
your  error,  and  the  happiness  of  your  recovery  is  heaven. 
People  believe  that  religion  is  one  thing  and  health  another. 
This  is  a  false  idea,  and  if  you  look  at  it  you  will  see  that  to 
be  happy  is  the  chief  end  of  man.  Happiness  is  what  we  think 
we  have  obtained.  Take  the  religion  of  our  day:  that  is  a 
poor  illustration  of  happiness,  for  the  misery  it  occasions  is 
twice  the  happiness.  We  are  taught  our  belief  is  one  thing, 
and  our  health  another.  But  it  is  not  so.  Man's  belief  is 
his  heaven  or  his  hell.  You  may  not  be  aware  of  the  effect  of 
your  belief. 

Disease  is  one  of  the  evils  that  follow  our  belief.  For  in- 
stance, take  a  young  lady :  begin  to  tell  her  that  her  happiness 
depends  upon  her  having  religion.  She  has  no  idea  of  what 
you  mean.  So  to  convince  her  you  give  an  account  of  what 
religion  is  and  show  that  she  must  get  it  or  be  eternally  lost. 
This  makes  her  nervous.  So  you  tell  her  to  come  to  Christ. 
This  to  her  is  blind.  You  say  Christ  is  standing  with  His 
arms  extended  to  embrace  her.  Now  to  fall  into  the  arms  of 
a  stranger  is  more  than  she  can  do.  She  weeps,  not  knowing 
what  to  do.  This  you  tell  her  is  the  conversion  of  her  soul. 
At  last  she  is  made  to  believe  she  is  not  worthy  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian. Then  comes  the  soothing  words  of  the  priest  and  his 
words  soothe  her  aching  head  and  she  quiets  down.  Then 
you  tell  her  this  is  a  change  of  heart.  Now  she  is  in  a  state 
to  get  religion. 

Wliat  has  been  brought  to  pass  ?  The  young  lady  has  been 
deceived  into  a  belief  that  has  cost  her  all  the  happiness  she 
had.  It  will  be  said  her  religion  had  nothing  to  do  with  her 
health,  but  this  cannot  be  the  case ;  for  every  person  is  respon- 
sible to  God  or  Wisdom  for  his  belief,  and  he  must  take  the 
consequences  of  his  belief. 

Now,  as  I  said,  religion  is  a  belief  and  disease  or  happiness 
is  what  follows.  So  as  all  men  have  sinned  or  got  a  belief,  the 
sentence  of  death  has  been  passed  upon  them,  for  all  have  come 
short  of  the  truth.  So  this  truth  came  into  the  world  of 
opinions  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  or  appeal  to  a  higher 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  361 

intelligence  to  lead  them  to  the  Truth  that  would  cure  them  of 
their  sins  or  errors.  Now  a  religion  or  theory  was  to  explain 
to  the  masses  to  keep  them  out  of  their  trouble.  We  suppose 
that  Jesus  wanted  to  convey  the  idea  that  man  was  in  danger 
of  being  destroyed  after  death,  but  if  he  would  believe  in  Jesus 
he  should  be  saved.  So  our  belief  depends  upon  our  beliefs. 
Now  what  was  Jesus'  idea? 

Jesus  had  no  words  or  ceremonies  but  a  love  for  a  higher 
development  of  the  human  soul.  This  was  Jesus'  religion  and 
He  put  it  in  practice  by  His  acts  upon  the  sick.  Not  by 
giving  an  opinion  of  what  He  knew  nothing,  but  by  showing 
that  their  sickness  was  the  effect  of  their  belief. 

How  often  have  you  heard  persons  say  they  are  not  nervous 
and  they  never  change  their  mind.  That  is  as  much  as  to  say 
they  have  no  wisdom,  for  wisdom  changes  the  mind.  Make  a 
person  believe  a  thing.  The  belief  being  matter  or  mind  it 
is  an  obstacle  to  wisdom.  This  obstacle  must  be  removed  be- 
fore the  truth  can  shine.  If  there  is  not  wisdom  enough  to 
remove  the  obstruction  we  say  such  a  man  has  a  strong  mind. 
It  is  true  he  has  a  strong  error  to  be  overcome,  but  his  mind 
embraces  just  as  much  intelligence  as  a  stumbling  block  in  the 
way  of  a  train  of  cars.  The  dissensions  among  the  passengers 
represent  the  contrast  between  the  strongminded  and  the  in- 
tellectual man.  One  sees  no  way  to  remove  the  obstacle  and 
concludes  that  it  cannot  be  overcome,  and  settles  down  in  the 
strength  of  his  own  mind,  while  wisdom  investigates  the 
chances  and  sets  himself  to  work  to  remove  the  burden.  As 
the  intellectual  man  works,  his  mind  changes,  while  the  strong 
man  sits  and  contends  that  he  knows,  and  when  he  makes  up 
his  mind  nothing  can  change  it.  The  other  is  fickle  and 
therefore  has  no  mind  or  stability.  This  is  the  case  with  dis- 
ease. The  belief  is  the  burden  to  be  overcome.  In  any 
disease  the  strong  mind  means  a  man  deficient  in  mechanical 
wisdom  who  can't  see  whether  the  world  develops  him,  or  he 
develops  the  world.  The  strong-minded  man  is  a  man  whom 
the  world  develops,  his  foundation  is  on  what  has  been  handed 
down  from  one  generation  to  another. 

THE    EFFECT   OF   RELIGION   ON"    HEALTH 

I  will  give  my  opinion  of  the  inconsistency  of  our  religious 
beliefs  and  thoir  effect  upon  health.  I  was  visiting  a  patient 
whose  state  differed  very  much  from  what  is  called  rheumatism 


362  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

and  general  disability  of  the  nervous  system.^  The  doctors 
had  tried  their  best  to  relieve  her  but  to  no  effect ;  their  efforts 
only  made  her  worse,  and  at  last  she  sent  for  me.  I  found 
her  very  nervous,  complaining  of  aches  and  pains  all  over. 
When  I  told  her  that  it  was  her  mind  that  was  disturbed  she 
replied,  "Oh,  no,  my  mind  is  at  rest.  I  know  I  am  in  the 
hands  of  a  merciful  God  who  will  deal  with  me  according  to 
His  will.  I  have  full  faith  in  Him."  Do  you  suppose  He 
knows  your  troubles?  I  asked.  "Yes,  He  knows  all  things." 
Suppose  Jesus  were  here  as  He  was  eighteen  hundred  years 
ago  do  you  think  He  could  cure  you  ?  "Oh,  yes.  I  know  He 
knows  all  my  suffering."  Then  why  does  He  not  cure  you? 
'because  it  is  His  will  that  I  should  go  through  all  this  suffer- 
ing to  fit  me  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Now  suppose  your 
daughter  should  be  taken  sick  away  from  home  in  a  strange 
land  among  strangers  and  suppose  some  kind  friend  should 
call  on  her  and  say,  "You  seem  very  low  spirited"  and  she 
should  reply,  "Oh,  no  I  know  that  it  is  all  right."  "Suppose 
your  mother  were  here,  would  you  not  get  well?"  "Yes,  she 
knows  all  my  sufferings,  but  she  knows  it  is  all  right  to  make 
me  better  prepared  to  enjoy  her  company  when  I  get  home." 
"Do  you  believe  that  if  she  had  a  mind  to  cure  you  she  could 
do  so?"  "Certainly."  "Can  you  say  you  love  your  mother 
when  you  admit  your  life  is  in  her  hands  and  she  permits  you 
to  suffer  so  much?"  "Oh,  she  is  my  mother,  and  I  feel  that 
she  knows  what  is  for  the  best.  It  gives  me  comfort  to  know 
that  I  am  in  the  hands  of  a  merciful  being."  [Despite  this 
reasoning  the  patient  fails  to  admit  a  point,  and  so  Dr. 
Quimby,  once  more  addressing  her,  says:]  Would  you  like 
to  have  me  cure  you  ?  "Yes,  if  you  can,  but  not  if  I  must  give 
up  my  belief  in  my  religion.  I  should  rather  go  down  to  the 
grave  with  my  religion  than  be  cured  and  lose  my  belief.  If 
you  can  cure  me  of  my  lameness  and  not  talk  to  me  about  my 
religion  I  should  like  to  get  well,  but  if  you  cannot  cure  me 
without  that  I  do  not  know  as  I  will  be  cured,  for  I  don't 
think  my  religion  has  anything  to  do  with  my  disease."  Do 
you  not  think  your  belief  has  something  to  do  with  your 
happiness?  "Oh,  yes,  but  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  my 
disease."  What  is  your  disease?  "Why,  it  is  rheumatism,  the 
doctors  say,  and  a  general  prostration  of  the  nervous  system." 
What  is  that?     "Neuralgia,  I  suppose."     What  is  that?     "I 

1  This  is  a  typical  instance  of  Quimby's  method  of  re-education. 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  363 

do  not  know."  Suppose  I  should  try  to  explain  how  you  came 
to  be  in  this  condition,  would  you  listen?  "Yes,  if  you  do 
not  talk  religion."  1  have  no  religion  to  talk.  "I  know  you 
have  not."  Have  you?  "I  hope  I  have."  "Well,  I  do  not 
want  it  if  it  makes  me  as  sick  and  unhappy  as  you.  "All 
the  comfort  I  take  while  lying  here  all  these  long  nights  is 
to  think  that  I  am  in  the  hands  of  a  merciful  God  who  will 
do  all  things  right."  Would  you  like  to  get  well?  "If  it  is 
the  will  of  God,  I  should  be  very  glad  to  get  well."  Do  you 
think  I  can  cure  you  ?  "I  do  not  know,  but  I  hope  you  can ; 
if  you  can't  I  shall  give  up  all  hopes  of  ever  being  well." 
Then  you  think  your  health  depends  on  my  science?  "Yes." 
If  I  should  cure  you  would  you  give  me  credit?  "Oh,  yes." 
But  would  it  be  right  to  upset  the  will  of  God  who  is  keeping 
you  in  this  misery  for  His  own  pleasure?  "Oh,  if  God 
sees  fit  to  have  it  I  believe  it  is  all  right.  I  know  I  feel 
badly  and  I  should  like  to  feel  better,  but  if  it  is  the  will  of 
God  that  I  must  suffer  I  will  submit  for  I  know  it  is  for  the 
best.  God  suffered  in  the  flesh  to  teach  us  to  be  better 
prepared  for  heaven." 

Then  you  think  if  you  should  die  you  would  go  to  heaven  ? 
"I  hope  so,  for  I  cannot  suffer  these  pains  always."  Where 
is  heaven  ?  Do  you  believe  it  is  a  place  ?  "Oh,  no."  Then 
what  is  it  ?  "It  is  a  state  of  mind."  Then  you  are  not  very 
near  it,  I  should  judge  by  your  own  mind.  "Well,  I  do  not 
know  as  that  has  anything  to  do  with  my  pains."  TMiat  is 
pain?  "I  don't  know  what  it  is,  but  I  know  how  it  feels." 
How  do  you  know  it?  "I  know  it  through  my  senses."  Are 
your  senses  affected  by  your  mind?  "I  suppose  so."  Then 
if  your  mind  is  disturbed  and  you  put  a  false  construction 
on  the  disturbance,  won't  it  produce  an  unpleasant  effect 
upon  the  senses?  "I  suppose  so."  Suppose  this  unpleasant 
effect  should  be  pain,  is  it  not  the  effect  produced  on  the 
mind?  "I  don't  know  what  that  has  to  do  with  my  lameness. 
I  want  to  get  well."     WTio  wants  to  get  well  ?     "I."     That 

is,  you,  Mrs.  H ?     "Yes."     Is  not  that  all  there  is  of 

you  that  has  any  mind  or  knowledge?  "Yes."  You  do 
not  expect  this  flesh  and  blood  to  go  to  heaven  ?  "No."  Why 
not?  "Because  the  Bible  sa3's  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  heaven."  I  thought  you  just  said  heaven 
was  a  state  of  mind.  "So  I  did."  Well,  do  you  mean  that 
flesh  and  blood  are  in  the  mind?     "Oh,  you  make  me  so 


364  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

nervous,  you  will  kill  me."  \Vhy  ?  "Because  I  don't  like  to 
hear  you  talk  so.  My  mind  is  all  made  up  and  I  do  not 
want  to  be  disturbed  in  this  way,"  Do  you  mean  your  flesh 
and  blood  are  disturbed  ?  "Oh  you  disturb  my  mind  and 
body."  Then  your  mind  is  one  thing  and  your  body 
another.  You  believe  in  the  soul?  "Yes."  You  believe 
it  goes  to  heaven  when  you  die?  "Yes."  I  thought  you 
said  heaven  was  a  state  of  mind.  "Oh,  yes,  but  we  must 
die."  What  dies?  "This  flesh  and  blood."  Well,  has  it 
life?  "Yes."  Has  it  feeling?  "You  would  think  so  if 
you  suffered  as  much  as  I."  Then  this  that  suffers 
is  the  flesh  and  blood?  "Yes."  Then  it  is  conscious 
of  all  these  bad  feelings?  "Yes."  Are  the  feelings 
its  consciousness  or  has  it  another  consciousness  independent 
of  itself  ?  "No."  Then  at  death  you  mean  that  all  of  these 
aches  and  pains  leave  you  and  you  will  be  happy?     '^es." 

Then  these  aches  and  pains  are  the  body's  identity  and  be- 
long to  the  flesh  and  blood?  "Yes."  Are  you  happy  when 
you  feel  so  badly?  "No."  Then  you  are  not  in  heaven? 
"I  don't  expect  to  be  happy  until  I  get  to  heaven."  Can  you 
get  there  and  have  these  pains?  "No."  Then  when  the 
pains  leave  you  it  will  be  heaven  on  earth?  "Yes,  if  that 
ever  takes  place." 

Now,  let  us  see  where  you  stand.  You  have  admitted 
enough  to  show  that  your  mind  is  in  a  confused  state  like  a 
person  in  trouble.  You  have  not  one  particle  of  true  knowl- 
edge. Your  supposed  knowledge  is  the  effect  of  an  im- 
pression on  the  senses,  due  to  the  opinion  of  some  one  who 
explained  some  one's  ideas  according  to  his  own  view  of  truth. 
This  opinion  taken  for  truth  makes  you  nervous  and  brings 
about  all  your  suffering.  You  are  afraid  of  your  enemies  and 
you  pray  to  the  God  whom  you  admit  keeps  you  in  misery. 
You  are  taught  to  believe  that  God  is  watching  all  your 
actions,  that  He  has  laid  down  certain  laws  and  regulations 
for  you  to  follow  and  if  you  disobey  you  will  be  punished. 
This  keeps  you  in  bondage  and  all  your  life  subject  to  disease. 
But  to  suppose  God  selects  you  to  be  punished  above  your 
companions  is  to  believe  God  is  partial.  This  you  cannot 
believe. 

Now  look  at  those  who  worship  God;  they  have  a  false 
idea  of  the  God  they  worship,  God  is  not  in  any  kind  of 
worship  that  man  has  established,     God  is  not  an  identity 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  365 

as  man  is,  if  He  were  He  would  be  in  matter.  The  ignorance 
of  man  cannot  see  intelligence  out  of  matter,  so  all  prayers 
are  in  matter,  and  all  that  people  are  afraid  of  contains 
matter.  This  false  idea  keeps  man  in  the  dark.  You  never 
see  a  man  praying  to  the  fire  that  warms  him,  nor  does  he 
pray  to  the  elements.  How  is  it  with  steam  ?  Is  not  the  per- 
son who  knows  the  most  about  steam  the  best  one  to  control  it, 
and  does  not  every  one  have  more  confidence  in  such  a  person 
than  in  one  who  is  ignorant  of  it  ?  So  it  is  with  the  elements. 
Man  differs  in  one  respect  from  living  matter :  he  has  unaer- 
taken  to  control  the  elements  so  as  to  make  them  subservient 
to  his  will.  We  often  hear  persons  talking  about  the  laws  of 
nature,  as  though  they  were  the  laws  of  God  and  they  say  if  we 
did  not  disobey  them  all  would  go  right.  Now,  here  is  the 
mistake.  The  laws  of  nature  are  very  simple  of  themselves 
and  they  never  trouble  man  if  he  does  not  trouble  them.  The 
beasts  conform  to  these  laws,  for  when  they  are  thirsty  they 
find  the  laws  that  quench  their  thirst,  if  left  to  themselves, 
and  when  hungry  the  same  intelligence  dictates  the  remedy. 
But  man  in  his  eagerness  to  be  lord  over  the  brutes  and 
elements  has  developed  faculties  called  senses.  These  are 
tinder  a  superior  wisdom  which  can  control  the  elements  and 
use  them  for  the  benefit  of  the  human  race.  Now,  it  is  not  to 
be  expected  that  every  person  who  happens  to  think  of  flying 
can  make  a  flying  machine  that  will  be  successful.  Nor  is  it 
certain  that  any  invention  to  control  the  elements  will  always 
work  so  that  accidents  as  they  are  called  will  not  take  place 
and  lives  lost  and  much  trouble  made  before  Science  is  estab- 
lished. So  it  is  with  life.  Life  is  a  science  that  is  little 
understood.  The  brutes  have  no  desire  to  investigate  science. 
Man  is  the  only  one  who  has  undertaken  it.  Let  us  see  how 
far  he  has  progressed.  It  is  a  fact  that  man's  life  is  shortened 
by  his  own  belief,  for  his  belief  is  his  practice  and  the  length 
of  his  life  is  in  his  theory.  Every  one  has  his  theory  in  regard 
to  the  lengthening  of  life,  but  all  admit  it  must  end,  that  it  is 
set  in  motion  and  may  run  down  sometime.  Some  think 
life  is  a  perpetual  machine  that  never  was  set  in  motion  and 
can  never  stop.  To  solve  this  life  and  save  it  from  being  lost 
is  the  great  problem.  Theories  for  the  benefit  of  man  are 
invented  to  save  his  life.  He  is  given  the  knowledge  of 
every  danger  he  is  liable  to  pass  through  and  is  warned 
against  them.     These  call  out  the  science  and  skill  of  the 


366  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

world,  to  put  nuan  in  possession  of  a  science  to  save  his  life 
as  though  his  life  were  something  independent  of  himself. 
This  makes  competition.  .  .  . 

Our  lives  are  like  a  journey  through  a  wilderness.  We 
first  take  the  priests'  opinion,  that  is,  to  trust  in  God. 
When  we  ask  an  explanation  of  God  we  are  answered  that  He 
knows  all  things  and  not  a  hair  of  our  head  falls  to  the  ground 
witliout  God  knows  it;  if  we  look  to  Him,  He  will  deliver  us 
from  all  danger,  and  He  takes  better  care  of  us  than  a  parent 
does  of  his  child.  This  is  a  brief  sketch  of  God's  goodness. 
Now  suppose  we  should  not  do  quite  as  well  as  we  expect,  then 
what  follows  ?  God  has  made  a  devil,  a  something  worse  that 
stands  ready  to  catch  us  if  we  don't  go  according  to  His  will 
or  laws.  These  things  are  not  defined,  but  like  the  laws  of 
the  United  States,  every  president  can  construe  them  accord- 
ing to  his  belief.  The  laws  of  God  made  by  man  are  arbitrary, 
though  not  acknowledged  as  such.  Jesus  said  "Call  no  man 
master  but  one  and  that  is  God."  Here  you  see  you  have 
made  a  God  that  is  full  of  inconsistencies  and  cannot  stand 
the  test  of  common  reason.  Now  look  at  the  true  scientific 
answer  to  all  our  beliefs  and  it  shows  us  that  they  contain 
no  knowledge  of  God  or  life,  for  God  is  life  eternal  and  this 
life  was  in  His  Son,  Jesus,  which  was  Christ  or  Science. 
Now  to  suppose  you  lose  your  life  is  to  be  cut  off  from  God, 
for  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead  but  of  the  living,  for  all 
live  to  Him.  Now  destroy  man's  belief  and  introduce  God's 
truth,  then  we  are  set  free  from  this  world  of  error  and 
introduced  into  the  world  of  light  or  Science,  where  there 
is  no  death  but  the  living  God.  This  Science  will  lead  us 
to  that  happy  state  where  there  is  no  sickness,  sorrow,  or 
grief,  where  all  tears  are  wiped  away  from  our  eyes,  and 
there  we  shall  be  in  the  presence  of  this  great  Truth  that 
will  watch  us  and  hold  us  in  the  hollow  of  its  hand  and 
will  be  to  us  a  light  that  will  open  our  eyes.  We  shall 
not  then  be  deceived  by  blind  guides  who  say  peace,  peace, 
when  there  is  no  peace.  Then  we  shall  call  no  one  master 
or  leader,  for  there  is  but  One  that  leads  us  and  that  is  God. 
He  puts  no  restriction  upon  us,  for  our  lives  are  in  His 
hands  or  Science.  ...  If  you  can  see  God  in  your  knowledge 
you  will  admit  that  everything  you  do  intelligently  you  do 
under  the  direction  of  a  power  or  intelligence  superior  to 
yourself.     So  when  you  do  anything  ignorautly  and  the  effect 


RELI0I0U8  QUESTIONS  367 

is  bad,  giving  you  trouble,  you  try  to  correct  your  errors, 
thereby  showing  that  you  admit  a  power  superior  to  your- 
self. This  power  is  called  Christ  or  God  and  if  you  have 
not  this  power  or  Christ  you  are  not  of  Him.  To  Imow  God 
is  to  know  ourselves,  and  to  know  ourselves  is  to  know  the 
difference  between  Science  and  error.  Error  is  of  man  and 
truth  is  of  God,  and  as  truth  is  not  in  the  cause  of  disease  it  is 
not  in  the  effect.  Therefore  to  say  we  are  happy  when  in 
disease  is  to  admit  we  have  no  disease,  for  disease  is  the 
error  and  the  effect.  Now  as  opinions  contain  either  truth 
or  error  (not  known)  we  are  affected  by  the  effect  when  it 
comes  to  the  light  of  Science  and  then  the  happiness  or  misery 
follows.  This  is  called  by  the  doctors  disease  and  they 
treat  the  effect,  denying  the  cause  or  letting  it  go  as  of  no 
account.  Here  is  the  difference.  I  put  the  disease  in 
the  direction  of  mind  and  then  I  know  what  will  be  the 
effect. 

Our  happiness  is  the  result  of  correcting  our  impressions 
when  first  made.  Our  error  is  the  ignorance  of  these 
impressions.  The  opinions  of  the  world  and  ignorance  of 
ourselves  are  the  causes  of  our  trouble.  Suppose  you  were 
afraid  of  some  person  and  you  dare  not  stir  lest  he  should 
kill  you,  do  you  think  you  would  be  any  worse  off  to  know 
that  he  was  your  friend  and  he  felt  unhappy  to  know  that  you 
had  such  an  opinion  of  him?  So  it  is  in  every  act  of  our 
lives,  knowledge  of  ourselves  never  harmed  man.  Disease  is 
not  in  knowledge  but  in  ignorance.  For  instance,  the  fear 
of  any  trouble  is  the  disease. 

Go  with  me  back  to  the  time  of  the  persecution  of  the 
church  and  the  Salem  witchcraft.  All  the  people  believed 
in  evil  spirits  and  witches  and  considered  it  wrong  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  them.  Here  you  see  was  the  disease 
in  the  people's  belief,  and  their  belief  was  put  in  practice 
for  the  safety  of  mankind.  Therefore  every  invention  of 
their  belief  was  called  out  to  get  rid  of  an  evil  that  was 
tormenting  man.  Here  you  see  the  belief  was  one  thing  and 
the  evil  another,  and  so  it  is  in  everything.  The  wisdom  of 
this  world  sees  the  mind  one  thing  and  disease  another,  and 
reasons  by  saying  the  pain'  came  before  I  had  any  thought 
about  it,  and  I  had  no  mind  about  it.  .  .  .  So  it  is  with 
rheumatic  pains,  the  state  of  mind  or  disease  is  admitted  to 
have  an  existence  as  much  as  evil  spirits  and  we  are  affected 


368  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

by  our  belief.  If  anything  disturbs  our  happiness  we  fly  to 
some  one  for  protection  and  in  our  trouble  create  a  form  of 
something  in  the  mind  to  locate  it  in  some  place  in  the  body. 
We  suffer  ourselves  to  be  tormented  to  get  rid  of  the  enemy  or 
disease,  as  those  who  believed  themselves  bewitched  would 
suffer  being  whipped  to  drive  out  the  devils.  I  could  name 
hundreds  of  cases  where  persons  have  called  in  physicians 
and  between  them  both  they  have  made  an  enemy,  the  patient 
suffering  himself  to  be  poulticed  and  blistered  almost  to 
death  to  get  rid  of  the  bronchitis  or  spinal  disease  or  white 
swelling  or  some  other  devil  supposed  to  exist  independent 
of  the  mind.  The  doctors  who  use  these  means  show  about 
as  much  knowledge  as  the  people  in  Connecticut  did  who 
beat  the  beer  barrel  if  it  worked  on  Sunday.  It  is  the  relic 
of  heathen  superstition  that  wisdom  will  some  time  eradicate 
from  the  mind  by  explaining  it  on  scientific  principles.  Till 
then  the  knife,  the  lance  and  calomel  and  such  things  that 
are  only  introduced  by  a  show  of  truth  not  much  in  advance 
of  nailing  a  horse  shoe  over  the  door,  or  sleeping  with  the 
Bible  under  you  to  keep  off  the  witches,  must  govern  the 
people.  Jesus  knew  that  all  the  foregoing  belief  was  founded 
in  ignorance,  therefore  He  was  not  afraid  of  these  beliefs 
and  said  these  words:  "Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  to 
lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends." 

CONTROVERSY   ABOUT    THE   DEAD 

The  religious  world  has  always  been  in  a  controversy  in 
regard  to  the  dead.  Before  Jesus  taught  a  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  the  Pharisees  believed  the  dead  rose  at  the  end  of 
the  world.  Others  believed  spirits  came  back  and  entered 
the  living,  but  there  was  no  idea  that  was  satisfactory  to  the 
thinking  classes.  The  Sadducees  disbelieved  in  everything 
but  admitted  one  living  God.  This  was  the  state  of  man's 
belief  at  the  time  Jesus  appeared  before  the  people.  He  spake 
as  never  man  spake  for  He  spoke  the  Truth  and  gave  the  lie 
to  all  the  opinions  of  mankind.  I  will  take  the  liberty  of 
putting  my  own  construction  on  Jesus'  truth  and  leave  it 
to  the  common  sense  of  the  people  to  decide  which  is  consis- 
tent with  Science.  You  see  that  at  the  time  Jesus  spoke 
the  idea  [the  persistence]  of  an  identity  after  death  was  never 
taught,  and  to  teach  that  was  to  the  Jews  blasphemy.  So 
Jesus  admitted  their  various  beliefs,  but  attached  a  spiritual 
meaning  to  them.     Jesus  spoke  to  the  people  in  parables, 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  369 

for  His  object  was  to  rid  the  world  of  superstition.  His 
words  were  called  out  in  answer  to  some  question  asked  by 
the  rulers  of  the  people,  and  His  answer  was  in  accordance 
with  the  question,  but  in  it  was  shown  the  absurdity  of  the 
belief;  so  they  could  not  catch  Him. 

The  greatest  evil  to  overcome  was  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead.  This  was  a  difficult  question  to  solve,  for  Jesus  never 
believed  in  the  natural  body  rising  and  to  deny  the  resur- 
rection of  man  was  as  absurd  as  to  deny  the  resurrection  of 
the  body,  so  to  deny  one  and  prove  the  other  was  to  admit 
a  resurrection  and  teach  it.  But  as  the  people  called  sin 
"death"  and  trutli  "life,"  it  was  easy  to  adopt  these  meanings. 
He  could  then  show  that  the  resurrection  from  the  dead  was 
a  resurrection  from  an  error  to  cr  truth.  But  this  must  be 
explained  by  a  parable.  Here  is  what  Jesus  intended  to 
convey :  that  this  power  that  the  people  could  not  account 
for  and  which  they  ascribed  to  evil  spirits  or  the  dead  was 
a  Science  of  ourselves,  which  embraces  all  we  are  and  our 
senses.  It  is  life  itself,  and  a  knowledge  of  it  is  to  put  it 
into  practice  so  the  world  can  be  benefited.  Ignorance  of 
it  embraces  all  phenomena.  This  makes  man  superstitious, 
for  he  is  ignorant  of  himself,  man  thinks  his  belief  is  all 
there  is  of  him,  and  so  it  is  till  he  is  brought  into  a  higher 
state  which  shows  that  he  has  two  minds.  One  mind  embraces 
matter  and  is  in  it.  The  other  is  Science  and  is  \)ut  of  mat- 
ter, and  uses  matter  as  a  medium  to  convince  the  natural  man 
ofa  higher  knowledge  of  himself.  It  was  Jesus'  mission  to 
convince  the  natural  man  of  this  truth ;  so  when  He  spoke 
of  Jesus  He  spoke  of  the  earthly  man,  but  when  He  spoke  of 
Christ  He  spoke  of  the  heavenly  man  or  Science.  This  the 
people  could  not  understand,  so  when  He  said  He  should  rise 
from  the  earthly  man,  (Jesus)  He  spoke  of  this  Christ,  and 
the  people  had  no  idea  what  He  meant  to  convey  to  them.  So 
when  they  saw  Him  taken  and  tried  they  all  forsook  Him 
and  stood  afar  off  and  some  denied  Him.  This  showed  that 
they  expected  that  Jesus  would  be  crucified.  This  embraced 
Jesus  Christ  and  all  of  His  preaching  and  when  He  was 
crucified  that  ended  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ  to  them. 

Now,  to  rise  from  the  dead  was  what  He  had  promised  His 
followers  and  they  believed  that  Jesus  intended  to  prove  that 
His  body,  or  Jesus,  wliich  was  flesh  and  blood,  should  rise. 
Here  was  where  they  misunderstood  Him.  Jesus  never 
intended  to  convey  any  such  idea.     If  the  people  had  under- 


370  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

stood  what  Jesus  meant  they  would  have  put  a  different 
construction  on  everything.  If  they  had  known  the  facts 
they  never  would  have  troubled  themselves  about  the  man 
Jesus,  but  would  have  let  that  body  rem-ain  in  the  tomb  and 
when  Christ  showed  Himself  to  His  disciples  and  others  they 
could  have  seen  the  flesh  and  blood  in  the  tomb.  Then  He, 
that  is  Christ,  had  established  the  saying,  although  you  destroy 
this  flesh  and  blood  you  do  not  destroy  the  knowledge  of  it, 
and  this  same  knowledge  can  make  to  itself  another  body 
and  show  it  to  the  people,  to  convince  them  of  eternal  exist- 
ence, not  after  death,  but  after  a  progress  of  our  knowledge. 

Now,  I  want  to  be  as  liberal  as  I  can  to  the  friends  of 
Jesus,  but  I  must  say  that  in  their  zeal  to  establish  what 
Jesus  told  they  made  a  great  mistake.  For  I  do  believe 
they  did  steal  or  take  away  the  body  of  Jesus  to  establish 
their  belief  that  it  rose  again.  This  upset  what  Jesus  in- 
tended to  prove,  that  is,  that  although  they  should  destroy  this 
flesh  and  blood,  Christ  would  show  Himself  to  prove  that  man 
can  live  and  have  all  his  faculties  and  knowledge  after  the 
world  calls  him  dead.  But  as  it  stands  it  shows  nothing,  for 
no  one  expects  the  body  to  rise.  Like  all  religious  fanatics, 
in  their  zeal  to  carry  out  an  idea  they  left  the  whole  affair 
in  a  worse  state  than  before.  This  gave  rise  to  all  sorts  of 
controversies,  and  as  Christ  had  made  Himself  manifest  to 
the  people  they  of  course  believed  that  Jesus'  body  rose, 
Others  saw  the  absurdity  of  the  idea  that  flesh  and  blood 
rose,  so  it  was  not  long  before  the  believers  were  fighting, 
just  as  in  our  days, 

Paul  said  to  them,  "I  understand  there  is  a  dissension 
among  you  as  touching  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  Now, 
"if  Christ  be  preached  (not  Jesus  but  this  truth  or  Science) 
that  he  rose  from  the  dead  (or  from  Jesus)  how  say  some 
among  you,  there  is  no  resurrection  (or  Science) 
and  all  is  of  no  force?"  You  see  the  people  confounded 
the  two  ideas,  that  is,  the  people  called  Jesus  Christ  one  and 
when  Jesus  Christ  rose  He  was  one  because  they  had  no  idea 
of  two  identities.  Those  that  differ  from  them  had  to  contend 
against  the  deception  of  these  fanatics  who  stole  the  body 
of  Jesus,  for  those  who  believed  the  body  rose  were  more 
enthusiastic  in  their  belief  than  those  who  believed  in  the 
science.  You  see  how  all  those  persons  that  can  work  them- 
selves up  to  believe  that  the  time  is  coming  when  our  bodies 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  371 

will  rise  again  are  about  as  far  behind  the  times  as 
those  old  persons  who  believe  the  time  will  come  when 
the  factories  will  be  abolished  and  the  girls  will  return  to 
the  spinning  wheel  and  loom,  when  steam  will  be  abolished. 
If  they  can  get  any  comfort  out  of  that  kind  of  food  I  for 
one  will  not  disturb  their  repose.  I  have  commenced  climbing 
Jacob's  ladder,  whose  top  round  I  have  never  heard  of — it 
is  said  to  reach  to  heaven  so  that  the  angels  could  descend 
on  it.  The  Christian  ladder  has  from  one  to  seventy  or 
eighty  rounds,  so  when  man  climbs  half  his  life  it  takes  the 
other  half  to  get  back  to  where  he  started.  That  makes  him 
once  a  man  and  twice  a  child.  So  I  suppose  he  commences 
a  child  and  climbs  to  a  man  and  then  steps  over  and  returns 
back  to  a  child.  This  is  proof  that  the  natural  man  is  a 
mere  bubble. 

THE  EESUEEECTION 

What  is  the  true  meaning  of  another  world?  It  is  sup- 
posed that  man  lives  in  this  world  and  goes  to  God  or  a 
spirit-world.  This  is  the  general  belief  and  if  this  is  true, 
why  should  it  be  so  strange  that  some  persons  should  believe 
their  friends  return  to  earth  and  appear  to  the  people  ?  This 
was  the  belief  of  a  large  class  of  mankind  in  the  days  of 
Jesus.  All  this  is  called  truth,  it  is  founded  on  an  opinion 
that  there  is  another  world  and  the  Bible  is  quoted  in  proof 
of  it.  To  me  this  is  error  based  on  ignorance  of  Science. 
Science  would  never  have  led  man  to  that  belief. 

It  is  said  men  had  wandered  away  from  God  and  become 
so  wicked  that  they  were  in  danger  of  eternal  punishment. 
What  does  this  mean?  Man  is  here  on  the  earth  as  he 
always  was,  so  it  did  not  mean  that  he  got  off  the  globe. 
To  wander  away  from  God  is  to  suppose  that  He  had  some 
locality,  and  to  be  in  His  presence  is  to  return  to  His  place 
of  residence.  This  place  must  be  somewhere  where  God 
resided  because  the  belief  was  that  Christ  came  to  lead  man 
back  to  God.  If  God  is  in  another  world  and  Jesus  came  from 
that  place  down  to  the  earth  to  lead  man  there,  or  to  open 
a  way  whereby  man  could  get  there  himself,  then  it  is  to  be 
supposed  man  had  been  in  heaven  in  tlie  presence  of  God  but 
had  wandered  away  and  could  not  get  back.  All  this  looks 
very  silly  when  we  think  of  asking  men  to  believe  it,  but  we 
embrace  it  without  giving  it  the  least  thought. 


372  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

Man  is  made  up  of  thought  and  ideas.  There  is  nothing 
about  man  unchangeable  but  his  science,  for  Science  embraces 
a  principle  [and  the  spirit]  and  principles  are  not  matter  or 
ideas  but  a  knowledge  of  them.  Life  is  an  evidence  of 
Science,  so  is  feeling,  taste,  etc.  All  the  senses  are  admitted 
by  Science  to  exist  independently  of  matter,  and  the  senses  are 
all  there  is  of  man  that  cannot  be  changed.^  They  may  be  ob- 
structed by  error  but  not  destro3^ed.  To  separate  these  two  is 
to  explain  the  true  meaning  of  life  and  death. 

All  the  people  believed  in  death.  Jesus  did  not;  therefore 
His  arguments  were  to  prove  that  death  was  a  false  idea.  So 
if  we  believe  in  death  we  are  in  our  belief,  if  we  know  it  as  an 
error  we  are  in  life.  Jesus  had  to  prove  that  what  we  call 
death  was  only  a  separation  of  His  Truth  from  the  people's 
belief.  But  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus  was  death  according 
to  their  belief.  Jesus  never  intended  to  allude  to  the  natural 
body.  So  when  He  speaks  of  a  resurrection  it  is  from  the 
dead;  not  that  the  dead  rise,  for  that  would  go  to  show  that 
He  was  still  a  believer  in  matter,  and  if  He  believed  in  matter 
[in  that  way]  He  must  have  believed  it  dies  and  then  rises 
again.  But  if  He  believed  it  is  nothing  but  a  medium  for  the 
senses  to  use  and  control,  then  all  that  He  meant  was  that  His 
senses  should  rise  from  the  dead  or  the  error  of  the  people  who 
believed  that  the  senses  are  a  part  of  the  idea  called  body.  To 
prove  His  truth  was  to  show  Himself  to  the  disciples,  after 
they  had  seen  Him  as  they  supposed  dead,  alive  again.  To 
them  this  was  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  or  the  same  idea. 
But  if  Jesus'  same  idea  or  body  rose  it  would  have  been  a 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  not  Christ's  or  Jesus'  ideas.  Jesus' 
teachings  were  to  show  that  Christ  was  a  truth  of  God,  a 
higher  knowledge  that  separated  Science  from  ignorance, 
and  this  Christ  was  in  Jesus. 

When  the  people  saw  their  idea  of  form  destroyed  their 
hope  was  cut  off.  But  when  in  the  clouds  of  their  ignorance 
they  saw  this  same  Christ  or  Truth  take  form  again  they 
were  afraid,  and  as  it  became  dense  enough  to  be  identified 
it  was  recognized  as  Jesus'  body.  But  it  was  not  the  body 
or  idea  that  they  had  believed  in  some  days  before.  This 
is  where  the  trouble  was.  The  people's  mind  was  changing 
but  not  scientifically,  and  they  were  left  in  a  more  nervous 
state  than  before.     For  now  they  thought  Jesus'  body  rose 

iDr.  Quimby's  term  "senses"  is  here  widely  inclusive. 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  373 

and  if  Jesus'  body  rose  it  went  to  show  that  His  ideas  were 
not  changed  from  the  common  belief.  It  amounted  to  noth- 
ing at  all,  for  no  man  has  ever  risen  since,  and  there  was  no 
proof  of  Jesus'  soul  being  separated  from  His  body. 

So  man  has  to  get  up  a  belief  in  opposition  to  the  Bible's 
belief,  he  must  believe  Jesus  went  to  heaven  with  a  body  of 
flesh  and  blood.  So  the  common  explanation  of  the  resur- 
rection leaves  it  worse  than  before.  But  to  take  the  man 
Jesus  as  a  man  of  flesh  and  blood  like  all  other  men  and  give 
Him  the  knowledge  that  matter  is  under  the  control  of  a 
higher  power  that  can  act  independently  of  matter,  and  that 
He,  Jesus,  could  be  in  two  places  at  the  same  time  and  be  out- 
side of  the  body  called  Jesus — then  it  would  not  be  hard  to 
believe  that  this  knowledge  called  Christ  which  Jesus  had 
should  say,  though  you  destroy  the  idea  of  Jesus,  Christ 
will  rise  or  make  Himself  known  to  the  people.  For  this 
Christ  or  Truth  had  the  power  to  assume  any  form  it  pleased. 
But  as  the  people  knew  it  only  as  it  came  within  their 
senses  as  the  natural  man,  they  could  not  believe  till  it 
took  the  form  of  Jesus  as  a  man.  This  form  the  people  call- 
ed Jesus;  therefore  the  report  went  out  that  Jesus  rose  from 
the  dead,  and  it  has  always  been  believed  by  those  who  call 
themselves  disciples  of  Jesus. 

Now,  here  is  my  belief:  I  believe  in  Christ  or  the  Truth. 
Christ  knew  that  they  knew  not  what  they  did;  therefore 
the  Christ  said,  "Father  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do."  This  same  Christ  was  not  in  the  idea  that  the 
people  had,  but  just  as  far  as  this  power  was  made  known, 
it  could  make  itself  manifest.  Now  to  believe  that  the  idea, 
or  Jesus,  or  flesh  and  blood,  rose  is  to  believe  that  the  dead 
rise.  This  Jesus  denied  wlien  he  said  that  what  rises  from 
the  dead  never  marries  or  is  given  in  marriage.  As  touch- 
ing the  dead  that  they  rise,  He  says :  "God  is  not  the  God  of 
the  dead  but  of  the  living,  for  all  live  unto  Him." 

ANOTHER   WORLD 

Did  St.  Paul  teach  another  world  as  it  is  taught  by  Chris- 
tians? I  answer  "no,"  and  shall  prove  that  Paul  preached 
this  very  Science  I  am  trying  to  preach  and  that  he  put  it  into 
practice  as  far  as  he  was  able;  but  he  taught  it  more  than 
he  put  it  into  practice  from  the  fact  that  it  was  necessary  that 
the  theory  should  be  acknowledged.     The  world  believed  in 


374  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

religion  and  religion  taught  another  world.  This  was  Paul's 
belief  before  he  was  converted  to  this  Science,  but  this  Science 
taught  him  that  the  wisdom  or  religion  of  this  world  was 
foolishness  with  the  wisdom  of  God.  Paul  admitted  Jesus 
as  his  teacher  and  Christ  as  God  or  Science.  Therefore 
when  he  spoke  of  Christ  he  meant  something  more  than  the 
natural  man  or  Jesus.  When  Paul  tried  to  make  the  Corin- 
thians understand  the  difference  he  said  that  he  came  not  to 
teach  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  so  that  their  faith  should  stand 
on  the  wisdom  of  God.  But  he  spake  of  the  wisdom  of  God  in 
a  hidden  mystery  that  was  with  God  before  the  world  or  man 
was  formed,  which  none  of  the  princes  of  this  woild  knew,  for 
if  they  had  known  this  Science  they  would  not  have  crucified 
the  man  who  taught  it.  Even  to  this  day  it  is  not  admitted  by 
the  Christian  churches  except  as  a  mystery.  Still  they  stand 
as  they  always  have,  looking  for  it  to  come,  when  it  is  in  their 
mouth  and  they  know  it  not,  but  eat  and  drink  with  the 
wisdom  of  this  world  as  they  did  in  the  old  world  till  the  floods 
came  and  swept  them  all  away.  So  it  will  be.  The  world 
will  all  oppose  it,  it  will  be  crucified  by  the  church,  hated  by 
the  doctors,  despised  by  the  proud,  laughed  at  by  fools  and 
received  by  the  foolish  of  this  world.  ...  So  to  teach 
Science  is  to  put  it  in  practice  so  that  the  world  shall  be  put 
in  possession  of  a  truth  that  shall  be  acknowledged  above  the 
natural  man.  If  you  will  read  all  Paul's  writings  you  will 
see  that  this  Science  was  what  he  was  trying  to  make 
the  people  understand,  for  if  they  could  understand  it  it 
would  change  their  motives  of  action.  I  have  been  twenty 
years  trying  to  learn  and  teach  it  and  I  am  at  times  nearly 
worn  out,  but  when  I  think  of  Moses  teaching  it  for  forty 
years  and  then  only  seeing  for  other  generations  what  he  could 
never  enjoy  it  makes  me  almost  sink  to  the  earth.  Even  Jesus 
as  a  man  thought  it  would  become  a  science  in  his  generation, 
but  he  was  not  sure  for  he  says,  "no  man  knoweth,  not  the 
angels  in  heaven  (or  the  men  wise  in  God's  wisdom)  but  God 
alone."  He  knew  that  it  would  be  established  on  earth  as  in 
heaven.  So  eighteen  hundred  years  have  passed  and  the 
same  angel  is  sounding  with  a  loud  trumpet  saying,  "how  long 
shall  it  be  till  the  wisdom  of  the  world  shall  become  reduced 
to  Science  so  that  it  can  be  taught  for  the  healing  of 
the  nations,  and  man  shall  cease  from  teaching  lies  and 
learn    to   ppeak    the    truth?"     Then    an    opinion    will    be 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  375 

looked  upon  as  an  opinion  and  Science  will  judge  of  the 
correctness  of  it.  Then  all  kinds  of  opinions  will  be  weighed 
in  the  balance  and  the  wisdom  of  this  world  will  come  to 
naught.  Then  will  arise  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  to 
free  man  from  disease  or  error,  for  this  old  world  or  belief 
shall  be  burned  up  with  the  fire  of  Science  and  the  new  heaven 
shall  arise  wherein  shall  not  be  found  these  old  superstitions 
of  bigotry  and  disease,  but  there  will  be  no  more  death  or 
sighing  from  an  ache  or  pain  which  arises  from  the  super- 
stitions of  the  old  world.  .  .  .  Eternal  life  was  taught  to 
man  by  Jesus  and  called  Christ  instead  of  Science,  and  to 
know  this  Christ  is  to  know  eternal  progress.  This  science 
teaches  man  how  to  break  off  from  all  error  or  bad  habits  that 
lead  to  disease,  for  as  disease  is  in  his  belief  to  be  good  is  to  be 
wise.  But  health  does  not  always  show  itself  in  science,  for 
the  fool  in  his  heart  says  there  is  no  science  of  God,  therefore 
the  fool  is  happy  in  his  knowledge.  So  are  a  great  many 
persons  happy,  according  to  Paul's  idea,  who  are  wise  in  their 
own  conceit  and  puffed  up  by  the  flattery  of  the  world.  They 
come  up  like  the  flower  of  the  field  and  flourish  as  a  politician 
in  some  other  way  for  a  time.  But  the  dew  or  wisdom  of 
Science  passes  over  them  and  they  wither  for  the  want  of 
something  to  sustain  them,  and  seeing  themselves  behind  the 
times  as  scientific  men  and  all  their  wisdom  taken  from  them 
and  turned  out  with  the  ox  to  eat  this  world's  food  or  grass, 
they  then  see  themselves  as  a  man  sees  himself  in  a  glass  and 
then  turns  round,  walks  off  and  forgets  what  manner  of  man  he 
was.  Then  his  place  that  once  knew  him  shall  know  him  no 
more,  for  his  wisdom  is  numbered  with  the  dead  ideas  that 
never  had  any  life  except  of  the  wisdom  of  this  world.  So 
here  ends  the  life  of  the  small  and  the  great,  the  earthly 
prince  and  the  ignorant  beggar  find  their  level  in  the  grave  of 
their  belief. 

WHAT  IS  RELIGION  ? 

This  question  is  more  easily  asked  than  answered,  for  when 
you  ask  to  have  it  defined  it  vanishes  as  a  thing  and  only 
remains  as  a  belief.  All  persons  have  a  right  to  a  belief, 
so  all  persons  can  have  religion  if  they  have  any  desire  to 
get  up  a  belief.  I  have  tried  to  find  if  there  is  any  such 
thing  defined  in  the  dictionary,  and  1  find  the  definition 
of  religion  to  be  a  system  of  faith  and  worship  or  pious 


376  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

practice.  Then  pious  means  religious  or  godly,  and  so  you 
get  right  back  where  you  started  from,  as  you  do  in  thou- 
sands of  errors  founded  on  error.  For  instance,  ask  a  physi- 
cian what  causes  pains  on  the  shoulders  "or  side.  The 
answer  is,  rheumatism.  What  is  that?  Neuralgia.  What 
is  that?  Nervous  affection.  So  he  will  go  on  from  one 
thing  to  another  till  you  get  him  angry  and  drive  him 
back  where  he  started.  Is  it  so  in  science?  No.  The 
chemist  tells  the  truth,  and  if  you  do  not  believe  he  shows 
you  the  fact  so  you  have  no  doubt.  In  all  the  above  theories 
there  are  phenomena  which  cannot  be  accounted  for  by  the 
natural  man,  for  he  reasons  in  matter  and  he  never  can 
understand  the  things  of  the  Spirit;  for  all  these  are  gov- 
erned or  created  in  the  heavens  or  spiritual  world,  and 
this  spiritual  world,  is  Science.  .  ,  .  When  Science  comes 
wisdom  takes  the  place  of  religion,  and  this  world  of  opin- 
ions gives  way  to  the  scientific  world.  Then  is  established 
Christ's  kingdom  or  religion  in  this  world  as  it  is  in 
heaven. 

THE  OTHER  WORLD 

I  will  take  the  man  Jesus  as  I  find  Him  and  see  if  I  can 
gather  from  what  He  has  said  and  done  what  His  ideas  of 
another  world  were.  No  one  doubts  that  He  was  a  very 
good  man,  independent  of  what  He  taught,  but  so  far  as 
this  world's  goods  went  He  had  no  Mdiere  to  lay  His  head; 
so  His  goodness  must  spring  from  another  source  than 
dollars  and  cents,  as  He  had  none  of  these.  His  food  or 
wisdom  was  not  of  man,  it  was  above  the  common  opinion 
of  the  world.  As  far  this  world's  goodness  went  He  did 
not  make  much  account  of  it,  for  when  they  were  boasting 
about  the  Christian  goodness.  He  asked,  "If  you  love  and 
help  them  that  love  you  what  reward  have  ye?  Do  not 
sinners  the  same?"  His  goodness  was  not  in  anything  that 
man,  could  do  as  man,  for  when  called  to  pay  His  tribute 
money  He  sent  Peter  to  catch  a  fish  and  get  the  money  out 
of  it.  Here  He  showed  some  wisdom  to  know  that  the  very 
fish  that  would  bite  the  hook  contained  the  money.  Per- 
haps the  opinions  of  the  wise  may  explain  whether  Jesus 
caused  the  fish  to  come  round  and  bite  or  how  it  was.  I 
shall  not  try  to  explain  now  but  leave  it  to  those  who  believe 
it  a  literal  truth. 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  377 

Now  I  think  I  can  give  an  explanation  of  Jesus'  belief. 
At  the  time  of  the  birth  of  Jesus  the  people  were  supersti- 
tious and  ready  to  catch  at  any  marvelous  thing  they  could 
not  explain.  Jesus  had  been  studying  into  the  laws  of  the 
mind  till  He  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  priests  were  a 
set  of  blind  guides,  talking  about  what  they  knew  nothing 
of,  except  as  an  opinion,  and  that  they  were  deceiving  the 
people  by  pretending  to  have  power  from  another  world. 
Jesus  knew  all  their  theories  and  pretences  were  based  on 
ignorance  of  opinion,  but  He  could  see  there  must  be  some- 
thing in  all  the  phenomena.  Hearing  of  John's  preach- 
ing He  went  to  hear  him,  and  then  saw  how  the  truth 
might  be  reduced  to  a  Science.  Here  was  His  temptation ; 
if  He  used  this  wisdom  for  money-making  business  He  could 
not  meet  with  the  same  results,  it  must  make  Him  selfish. 
So  He  concluded  He  would  risk  all  the  sneers  and  opposition 
of  the  religious  world  and  stand  up  and  defend  a  Science 
that  struck  at  the  roots  of  all  religious  superstition  and 
public  opinion  and  tested  all  things  by  one  living  and  true 
principle.  The  Old  Testament  being  their  Bible,  He  had 
to  explain  its  meaning  and  show  that  the  writers  taught 
this  great  truth,  so  He  had  to  speak  in  parables.  His 
wisdom  being  based  on  Science  that  He  could  prove,  He 
commenced  to  put  it  in  practice  toward  disease.  .  .  . 
All  the  world's  wisdom  was  based  on  an  opinion,  and  to 
meet  it  was  to  spiritualize  every  idea.  They  believed  in  a 
literal  heaven;  to  this  He  gave  a  spiritual  meaning,  say- 
ing His  heaven  was  not  of  this  world  of  opinions  but  of 
Science,  and  He  would  bring  it  down  to  man's  understanding. 
This  they  could  not  understand,  for  their  belief  located 
His  kingdom  in  space  and  attached  their  senses  to  it  as  a 
place.  But  the  priests  had  condensed  these  phenomena 
into  an  identity  called  God,  had  given  Him  power  over 
everything  they  could  not  understand,  and  robbed  Him  of 
wisdom  that  explained  their  ignorance.  They  created  a  God 
after  their  own  wisdom  and  set  Him  in  the  heaven  of  their 
own  belief.  Thus  the  priests  have  placed  misconstruction 
on  every  passage  in  the  Bible  which  condemns  superstition 
and  taken  all  the  wisdom  to  themselves;  while  the  viery 
Science  that  the  Bible  contains  is  their  worst  enemy.  This 
has  made  the  man  spoken  of  in  Eevelation,  which  seemed 
to  be  written  by  an  insane  man.     If  any  one  will  look  at 


378  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

it  it  will  be  seen  it  is  a  book  of  the  progress  of  Science 
over  the  opinions  of  the  priest.  It  will  be  seen  how  John 
labored  to  show  the  people  that  the  priests'  ideas  bound  them 
and  kept  them  in  bondage.  But  his  writings  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  priests  who  put  their  own  construction  upon 
them  and  turned  the  minds  of  the  people,  who  might  be 
taught  to  see  through  their  wisdom.  So  the  book  of  Rev- 
elation, like  all  the  others  of  the  New  Testament,  has  been 
stolen  by  the  priests,  turned  and  twisted  and  misconstrued 
to  prove  that  men  were  writing  to  establish  the  truth  of  the 
priests'  opinions. 

Now  I  know  by  the  cures  I  make  that  disease  was  made  by 
the  false  construction  of  priests  and  I  shall  show  that  not 
one  of  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  ever  had  an  idea 
of  priestcraft;  but  the  priests  knowing  that  the  people  fell 
in  with  their  views  stole  the  ideas  and  persecuted  the  authors, 
just  as  they  do  at  this  day.  The  priests  claim  to  be  the 
teachers  of  morals  and  good  order. 

Jesus  had  to  establish  a  kingdom  as  the  priests  had  done; 
theirs  was  based  on  opinions,  His  on  Science,  so  everything 
that  they  believed  was  only  an  opinion,  which  His  Science 
could  tear  to  pieces.  So  He  begins  by  saying  "Seek  first 
the  kingdom  of  heaven ;"  that  is,  seek  wisdom,  then  all  their 
craft  could  be  explained.  Then  He  says,  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  has  come  unto  you  and  ye  will  not  receive  it,  that 
is,  the  Science  is  here  but  you  will  not  try  to  understand. 
In  the  Old  Testament  David  called  this  Science  wisdom  and 
exhorted  his  son  to  seek  it  first  of  all.  Jesus  called  it  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  and  calls  on  all  men  to  seek  it.  If  this 
wisdom  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven  were  not  the  same,  then 
Jesus  and  David  had  different  ideas  of  wisdom.  Does  the 
priest  call  on  the  people  to  get  understanding?  No,  that 
is  what  he  fears.  The  priests  want  them  to  have  religion, 
that  is,  to  believe  in  the  creeds  which  cramp  the  intellect 
and  bind  burdens  upon  them  so  that  they  can  lead  them. 
They  fear  investigation,  for  it  is  death  to  their  craft.  .  .  . 

DEFENCE    AGAINST    AN    ACCUSATION    OF    PUTTING    DOWN 
RELIGION 

I  am  often  accused  of  putting  down  religion  and  when 
I  ask  what  is  religion  I  am  told  the  same  old  story  that 
every  one  knows,  to  be  good  and  to  worship  God.     Now  all 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  379 

this  sort  of  cant  may  do  if  it  is  not  analyzed,  but  if  you 
undertake  to  analyze  it  it  vanishes  like  dew  before  the  morn- 
ing sun.  Religion  is  what  it  was  before  Christ  and  I  think 
I  know  what  that  was.  The  religion  that  Christ  opposed 
consisted  in  forms  and  ceremonies.  Now  why  did  Jesus 
oppose  it  if  belief  had  nothing  to  do  with  health  and  happi- 
ness? He  said  they  that  are  well  need  no  physician.  So 
if  a  person  were  well  it  made  no  difference  to  Jesus  what 
he  believed,  but  he  came  to  those  that  had  been  deceived. 
Well,  how  did  he  cure  them?  By  changing  their  minds,  for 
if  he  could  not  change  their  minds  he  could  not  cure  them. 
This  was  the  way  with  the  young  man  who  was  rich  who  came 
to  Jesus  to  know  what  he  should  do  to  be  saved.  Now  if 
the  young  man  was  really  in  danger  of  being  doomed  to 
"eternal  punishment,"  as  we  are  taught,  then  all  that  was 
wanted  was  to  believe ;  so  if  his  belief  changed  him  I  ask  if  it 
changed  his  identity  or  mind?  We  are  taught  that  man 
cannot  do  anything  of  himself  to  save  himself,  but  was  this 
the  case  with  this  young  man  ?  No,  for  Jesus  told  him  what 
to  do,  to  keep  the  commandments  and  these  were  not  Jesus' 
but  Moses'  commandments.  The  young  man  said.  "This 
have  I  done  from  my  youth  upward."  So  according  to  the 
young  man's  story  he  was  a  very  good  man  and  Jesus  found 
no  fault  with  him  but  said,  if  you  will  be  perfect  go  sell  all 
you  have  and  follow  me.  Now  here  was  a  young  man  who 
had  done  everything  to  be  saved  and  Jesus  would  not  save 
him  unless  he  would  give  all  that  he  had  to  the  poor  and 
follow  Him.  As  absurd  as  this  looks  you  cannot  find  any 
one  who  will  comply  with  it,  but  people  get  over  it  by  say- 
ing we  must  give  up  all  sinful  acts.  Well,  be  as  honest 
to  that  young  man  who  went  away  sorrowful,  for  he  could 
not  understand.  This  is  a  fair  spetimen  of  the  parables. 
Jesus  never  hinted  that  He  or  the  young  man  had  the  slight- 
est idea  of  another  world,  but  it  shows  on  the  face  of  it  that 
a  man  like  Jesus  could  not  be  so  little  or  narrow  minded  as 
to  send  a  person  to  endless  misery  because  he  would  not  give 
all  his  riches  to  the  poor. 

Now  I  will  give  my  construction,  and  if  I  do  not  make 
Jesus  more  of  a  man  than  the  other  I  will  never  explain  the 
Bible  again.  The  Jews  thought  they  were  the  chosen  people 
of  God  and  were  the  best  and  knew  the  most.  So  riches 
were  wisdom  and  they  were  rich  in  the  laws  of  Moses.     This 


380  RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS 

young  man  came  to  Jesus  to  ask  Him  what  he  should  do  to 
obtain  tliis  belief  that  Jesus  taught.  Jesus  said,  "Keep 
the  commandments."  This  he  had  done.  Well,  go  and 
give  away  your  ideas  and  try  to  leam  mine.  This  he  could 
not  do  for  he  could  not  see  into  it.  So  he  went  away  sorrow- 
ful. Jesus'  own  disciples  were  in  the  same  way  for  they  said, 
"we  have  forsaken  all,  what  lack  we  more?"  He  then  goes 
on  to  tell  what  they  must  do,  but  they  did  it  not  for  they  all 
forsook  Him.  Now  if  it  requires  such  a  sacrifice  to  go  to 
heaven,  he  never  found  one  that  went,  for  they  asked  Him  if 
these  things  are  so  how  a  man  can  be  saved.  .  .  . 

My  religion,  like  Jesus',  is  in  my  acts,  not  in  my_  belief. 
The  sick  are  in  their  belief  and  not  in  their  acts,  for  if  it 
were  in  their  acts  they  would  be  better;  for  to  be  wise  is  to 
be  good  and  to  be  good  is  to  show  your  goodness  by  your  acts. 
So  if  a  man  is  sick  he  is  not  good  and  if  he  is  not  good  he  is 
not  happy,  and  if  he  is  not  good  his  evil  must  be  something  else 
than  good.  His  goodness  is  Science  or  Christ,  his  badness 
must  be  an  opinion  or  religion.  Now  to  be  born  again  is  to 
separate  the  true  religion  from  the  dross,  and  I  know  of  no 
betteu  rule  than  Jesus  laid  down  when  He  said,  "hj  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  I  am  willing  to  be  judged 
by  my  works,  and  if  they  bear  me  out  I  do  not  know  as  the 
wisdom  of  this  world  of  opinions  has  any  right  to  pass  judg- 
ment on  me.  .  .  . 

When  I  sit  by  a  person,  if  I  find  no  opinion  I  find  no 
disease,  but  if  I  find  a  disease  I  find  an  opinion,  so  that 
the  misery  that  is  in  the  opinion  or  belief  is  the  disease.  I 
have  to  make  war  with  the  disease  or  opinion  and  as  there  are 
a  great  many  that  make  their  disease  out  of  the  world's  reli- 
gion it  is  my  duty  to  change  the  belief  to  make  the  cure,  and 
it  is  astonishing  to  see  persons  cling  to  their  opinions  as  though 
they  contained  the  substance,  when  if  they  knew  the  sub- 
stance of  their  belief  they  would  laugh  at  their  folly. 
Now  to  me  it  is  as  plain  as  twice  two  makes  four. 
I  can  sum  up  the  religion  of  Jesus  in  one  simple 
parable  and  that  is  the  parable  of  the  child  when  the  people 
were  disputing  about  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Jesus  took 
up  a  little  child  from  their  midst  and  said,  "of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  Every  one  knows  it  is  harder  to  un- 
learn an  error  than  to  learn  a  truth,  so  Jesus,  knowing  that 
a   child  was  free  from  both,  took  him  as  a  parable.     So 


RELIGIOUS  QUESTIONS  381 

the  Christian  world  must  get  rid  or  give  away  all  errors  and 
become  as  a  little  child  to  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  or  Science. 
This  was  the  new  birth;  therefore  to  enter  into  Science  or 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  not  a  very  easy  thing.  So  if  any 
one  says  he  is  born  of  God  or  Science  let  him  show  it  for 
many  shall  come  saying,  "I  am  Christ,"  and  shall  deceive 
many,  but  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them.  So  you  see 
that  Jesus'  religion  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  opinions  of 
the  world.  ^ 

1  It  is  important  to  note  that  Quimby's  Christian  Science  was 
founded  on  two  principles:  (1)  the  idea  of  "the  Christ  within,"  or 
the  Divine  wisdom  which  Jesus  taught,  which  is  the  guide  to  the 
spiritual  interpretation  of  the  Bible;  and  (2)  the  idea  that  all 
causation  is  mental  and  spiritual:  the  body  contains  no  intel- 
ligence or  power  of  its  own;  hence  "every  phenomenon  that  takes 
form  in  the  body  was  first  conceived  in  the  mind."  The  latter 
proposition  Quimby  demonstrates  in  his  reasonings  concerning  such 
a  disease  as  cancer,  and  in  what  he  writes  about  strength.  See 
above.  Chap.  XVI. 


XIX 

SCIENCE^  LIFE^  DEATH 

[By  the  term  Science  Dr.  Quimby  meant  that  wisdom 
which,  superior  to  all  opinions  or  wisdom  of  the  world,  and 
all  knowledge  founded  on  externals,  mere  facts  or  speculation, 
is  Divine  in  origin;  is  beyond  all  doubt,  and  capable  of  veri- 
fication by  all.  It  is  Divine,  not  in  the  sense  of  a  "reve- 
lation" given  on  authority,  but  because  it  is  "Wisdom  reduced 
to  self-evident  propositions,"  "reduced  to  practice  for  the 
benefit  of  man,"  therefore  the  basis  of  sciences  such  as  chem- 
istry or  mathematics  in  which  unchangeable  principles  are 
implied.  Science  is  aggressive,  it  is  the  Truth  which  shall  set 
men  free,  the  Christ  which  Jesus  came  to  declare.  It  is  dis- 
coverable in  the  Bible,  if  we  have  spiritual  eyes  to  see  the 
meaning  beneath  the  symbols.  It  is  within  the  reach  of  all 
who,  led  by  intuition  and  aware  of  man's  true  nature,  dis- 
tinguish between  shadows  and  realities,  the  mind  which  is 
always  changing  and  the  spirit  which  never  changes.  Man 
then  may  learn  to  identify  his  true  self  with  Science  as  the 
"scientific  man,"  the  man  with  spiritual  senses  and  an 
immortal  identity.  Dr.  Quimby  did  not  undertake  to  found 
a  new  religion  on  this  "great  truth"  or  Science,  but  believed 
that  spiritual  science  is  altogether  superior  to  religion  as 
ordinarily  understood.  His  writings  as  a  whole  show  what 
he  means  by  the  term.  The  first  selection  is  from  an  article 
written  in  July,  1860,  in  which  he  defines  his  meaning,  in 
part:] 

SCIENCE 

The  word  science  is  frequently  used,  but  so  loosely  defined 
that  its  true  meaning  cannot  be  understood.  Ask  a  man  what 
science  is,  he  answers,  "It  is  knowledge,  a  collection  of 
general  principles."  This  leaves  the  question  just  where  we 
find  it.  So  every  one  sets  up  his  standard  of  a  collection 
of  general  principles. 

Let  us  see  if  the  word  can  be  explained  so  that  every  one 

382 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  383 

may  know  what  science  is.  Science  embraces  something 
spiritual  or  a  revelation  from  a  higher  state  of  being.  Sci- 
ence is  the  name  of  that  wisdom  that  accounts  for  all 
phenomena  that  the  natural  man  or  beast  cannot  under- 
stand. 

To  illustrate.  You  throw  a  ball  into  the  air,  every  child 
will  soon  learn  that  the  ball  will  return.  This  is  not  science. 
But  to  know  understandingly  that  it  will  return  with  just 
as  much  energy  as  it  received,  is  science.  Science  is  in  the 
act,  although  the  person  knows  it  not,  and  God  is  in  the 
world  and  the  world  knows  Him  not.  This  principle  Jesus 
tried  to  teach  to  man.  The  acts  of  man  were  sometimes  ac- 
cording to  this  law,  but  the  actors  knew  it  not.  So  they 
being  ignorant  of  Science  were  a  science  unto  themselves. 
As  they  did  not  know  the  motive,  they  could  not  teach  it 
to  others. 

Paul,  speaking  of  this  Science,  says  some  have  not  even 
heard  of  it,  and  how  shall  they  believe  in  what  they  have  not 
heard  of  as  a  science ;  how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher, 
and  how  shall  they  preach  a  science  unless  they  be  sent?  So 
he  says.  How  beautiful  are  the  feet  of  those  who  preach  the 
gospel  of  peace  (or  the  words  of  that  person  who  can  teach 
Science).  He  uses  the  word  "charity"  for  the  same  wisdom, 
and  goes  on  to  tell  that  although  we  give  all  our  money  to 
the  poor,  and  sufTer  our  bodies  to  be  burned,  and  do  not 
understand  Science  or  charity,  it  is  of  no  use.  To  understand 
wisdom  or  charity  so  as  to  put  it  into  practice,  so  that  it 
becomes  a  science,  is  not  an  easy  task.  Well  might  the  dis- 
ciples say  this  is  a  hard  saying,  and  how  can  a  man  believe 
or  understand?  Therefore,  if  they  cannot  understand,  must 
the  wisdom  of  God  be  of  no  effect  ?  Wisdom  says,  "No ! 
Let  God  (Science)  be  true,  but  every  man  a  liar." 

This  Science  was  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  but  the 
priests  and  doctors  led  the  people  and  explained  it  accord- 
ing to  their  owm  notions,  so  when  Jesus  came  to  establish 
this  truth  as  a  science,  to  them  it  was  a  stumbling-block. 
The  wisdom  of  this  world  never  had  put  science  into  goodness, 
but  thought  goodness  was  a  dispensation.  This  wisdom  or 
charity  was  known  by  some  to  have  an  identity,  but  was 
never  admtted  as  anything  independent  of  the  natural  man. 
So  goodness  was  considered  by  the  priests  as  a  sort  of  sub- 
jection to  the  rulers.     A  good  person  was  like  a  good  dog, 


384  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

ready  to  obey  his  master ;  then  his  master  would  pat  him  and 
call  him  a  good  dog,  although  he  had  just  torn  another  dog 
in  pieces,  or  had  done  something  else  to  please  his  master. 

This  was  the  way  with  the  Christian  church:  to  be  good 
was  to  persecute  all  who  would  not  bow  the  knee  to  the 
leaders.  All  who  had  the  boldness  to  speak  their  opinions 
were  heretics  or  infidels.  The  priests  patted  the  heads  of 
their  dogs  and  set  them  on  the  swine  or  those  who  opposed 
them,  so  that  to  steal  from  or  rob  one  of  these  sceptics  was 
a  virtue  rather  than  a  wrong. 

I  have  seen  this  effect  in  my  own  practice.  There  are 
people  who  are  honest  according  to  their  religion  who  will 
come  and  tell  me  a  lie,  as  I  call  it,  to  deceive  me  into  a  belief 
that  they  mean  just  what  they  say.  I  have  just  the  same 
confidence  in. their  honesty  that  I  have  in  a  bull  dog  who 
looks  as  innocent  as  a  lamb  when  you  have  something  that  he 
wants,  and  when  he  gets  it  will  bite  you  as  soon  as  your 
back  is  turned.  This  all  arises  from  smothering  the  Science 
or  charity,  or  revelation  from  God.  And  this  is  done  by 
the  priest.  The  priests  make  their  goodness  a  matter  of 
self-interest,  and  charge  people  a  fee  to  pardon  their  sins, 
which  the  honest  part  of  the  community  would  look  upon  as 
a  wrong.  The  priest  flatters  them  with  the  idea  that  they 
are  doing  just  right.  So  they  worship  the  priest  as  the  masses 
worship  the  leaders,  and  every  person  knows  that  a  leading 
demagogue  will  uphold  any  crime  his  party  is  guilty  of, 
and  applaud  the  actor  for  his  honesty  or  goodness. 

Charity  has  no  friend  with  any  of  these  leaders.  It  finds 
no  foothold.  Therefore,  like  the  dove  of  the  ark,  after  try- 
ing to  find  a  place  to  rest  it  returns  to  its  house  and  is  gone 
to  the  world.  This  was  the  case  in  the  days  of  Jesus.  He 
came  to  establish  this  Science  or  charity.  This  word  Science 
not  being  used  to  explain  this  truth,  it  was  called  by  Jesus 
"Christ,"  and  by  Paul  it  was  called  "charity."  By  the  wise 
who  admitted  it,  it  was  called  a  power  or  gift,  but  it  was  never 
admitted  to  have  an  identity  with  the  teaching  to  which  the 
senses  were  attached.  This  was  Jesus'  religion,  so  that  He 
talked  His  religion,  instead  of  talking  about  it.  To  talk 
wisdom  is  Wisdom,  whereas  to  talk  about  wisdom  is  to  talk 
an  unknown  God, 

Jesus  tells  just  where  the  people  stood  in  regard  to  this 
truth.     There  were  none  who  understood  it,  but  many  who 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  385 

acted  according  to  their  principles.  These  he  called  persons 
who  being  ignorant  of  tlie  law  were  a  law  to  themselves, 
because  they  did  right  and  did  not  know  why  they  wanted 
to  do  it.  He  describes  their  minds  as  half  wise  and  half 
foolish.  But  the  wise  were  ignorant  of  the  cause  of  their 
own  wisdom,  so  that  in  trying  to  make  people  understand 
this  truth,  which  he  called  the  greatest  of  sciences  or  the  king- 
dom of  God,  he  spoke  in  parables. 

He  commences  by  a  parable  of  the  foundation  of  this 
Science,  or  the  ground  in  which  it  is  sown,  and  then  shows 
the  growth  by  parables.  So  when  he  was  asked  for  an  expla- 
nation of  this  Science  or  power,  or  kingdom,  he  took  a  little 
child  in  his  arms  and  said,  "Of  such  is  the  foundation  or 
kingdom  of  heaven."  Now,  every  one  knows  that  a  child 
is  a  blank  as  far  as  virtue  or  vice  is  concerned,  and  with 
it  "miglit  is  right."  The  growth  of  this  child's  wisdom 
depends  entirely  upon  the  direction  given  to  its  mind.  Then 
He  asks,  "What  shall  I  compare  its  little  wisdom  to  ?  I  will 
compare  it  to  a  grain  of  mustard-seed  that  a  mian  sowed  in 
his  garden." 

So  God  sowed  in  this  little  child's  mind  wisdom,  and  this 
wisdom  if  properly  developed  would  teach  him  that  his  body, 
like  the  earth,  is  the  casket  or  loom  for  this  wisdom  to  de- 
velop itself  in.  As  it  developed  itself,  it  would  leave  its 
mother  earth  and  derive  its  life  from  a  higher  and  more  per- 
fect mother  that  had  no  matter,  but  which  lifts  one  above 
all  the  fog  or  atmosphere  of  earth,  and  the  decomposition 
of  matter  or  ideas  that  contain  all  sorts  of  evil.  The  growth 
of  this  wisdom  was  likely  to  be  destroyed,  for  Herod  sought 
to  kill  it.  But  its  mother  hid  it  in  the  ignorance  or  bushes, 
in  the  sea  of  superstition,  till  it  could  grow  in  the  hearts  of 
the  people.  So  when  its  branches  began  to  put  forth,  and  the 
fowls  or  theories  began  to  build  nests  or  attack  it,  then 
came  the  devil  and  made  war  against  it.  Then  the  priests 
and  doctors  joined  in  and  stirred  up  the  multitude  to  search 
out  where  the  true  wisdom  was,  that  they  might  take  coun- 
sel together  how  they  should  destroy  it. 

When  Jesus  appeared  at  the  common  age  of  man,  ready 
to  defend  Himself,  John  sent  to  Him  to  know  if  He  was  this 
Science  or  Christ,  or  must  we  look  for  another.  As  Jesus  be- 
gan to  preach  this  truth  or  Science  it  struck  at  the  root  of  all 
the  old  superstitions.     This  was  the  very  thing  the  people 


386  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

had  looked  for.  The  prophets  had  prophesied  that  the  time 
would  come  when  man  should  act  from  a  higher  motive  than 
dollars  and  cents,  when  g<)odness  would  be  a  virtue  and  would 
be  appreciated :  the  priests  had  looked  upon  all  virtue  as  pas- 
sion, and  had  treated  it  as  such.  Thus  sympathy  or  love  was 
misrepresented  by  these  blind  guides,  so  that  people  ac- 
knowledged and  thought  that  they  were  born  dishonest,  and 
all  kinds  of  vice  and  passion  were  elements  of  our  nature. 
When  Jesus  began  to  separate  vice  from  virtue  the  war 
began.     This  separation  was  His  religion. 

Vice  and  passions  were  the  inventions  of  man.  I  will  not 
say  brutish,  for  that  is  a  stain  on  God  or  goodness.  For  the 
brutes  act  as  they  were  intended  to,  and  to  compare  them  to 
man  who  debases  himself  below  the  brute  is  a  stain  on  the 
whole  character  of  the  horse,  for  instance.  I  have  seen  a  thing 
driving  a  horse  who  looked  more  out  of  place  than  he  would 
if  he  were  in  the  thills  and  the  horse  had  the  reins.  This 
sort  of  intellect,  which  is  made  up  of  the  lowest  passions 
of  man,  is  as  much  beneath  the  brute  as  the  hawk  is  beneath 
the  dove.  These  two  characters  make  up  man.  One  is  ig- 
norance, superstition  and  all  kinds  of  passion,  to  gratify 
the  lusts  of  a  low,  contemptible  mind  which  cannot  see  hon- 
esty in  anything  except  as  a  restraint  upon  the  appetites;  so 
he  looks  upon  all  restraints  as  burdens  and  oppressions. 
This  is  the  wisdom  of  this  world.  This  wisdom  has  always 
been  in  the  ascendency.  It  has  been  the  enemy  of  truth 
or  Science.  So  when  any  new  development  of  truth  comes 
up,  this  brutal  intellect  catches  the  seed  or  idea  and  puts 
a  low  construction  on  its  acts.  This  causes  the  war  of  error, 
to  see  which  shall  get  the  mastery.  Science  comes  as  a 
natural  result  of  the  quarrel.  For  the  truth  never  makes 
war  for  anything.  All  the  fighting  is  done  by  ignorance 
and  superstition. 

Now,  as  I  have  already  said,  the  beasts  were  made  perfect 
as  they  were  intended  to  be;  no  change  is  visible  in  each 
succeeding  generation.  The  combination  of  the  natural  brute 
is  perfect.  But  it  does  not  contain  science  or  wisdom.  Man, 
being  what  is  called  the  noblest  work  of  God,  has  a  higher 
development,  and  shows  that  there  is  something  outside  of 
matter  which  can  control  matter.  This  something  is  what 
the  world  has  always  been  looking  for.  It  is  not  in  the  beasts, 
for  it  is  not  life,  and  that  the  beasts  have;  nor  is  it  reason, 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  387 

for  the  beasts  have  that;  nor  is  it  passion,  nor  is  it  love,  for 
all  of  these  the  beasts  have.  Then  what  is  it  that  makes 
man  above  the  beast?  Science  or  a  revelation  from  a  spirit- 
ual world,  higher  than  the  natural  world.  And  this  wisdom 
or  Science  is  progression.  For  it  is  in  the  beastly  man,  al- 
though in  such  it  has  never  been  developed. 

Wisdom  or  Science  makes  the  distinction  in  man  by  this 
figure:  man  is  of  the  earth  earthly,  yet  in  him  was  this 
Science  in  the  form  of  a  rib,  or  this  higher  power,  and  the 
Science  called  it  woman.  And  this  woman  or  wisdom  is  to 
lead  man  or  ignorance  to  truth  and  happiness.  Now,  neither 
the  man  nor  the  woman  had  any  science,  and  man  like  the 
beast  was  willing  to  live  under  restriction,  as  all  other  animals 
did;  for  God  placed  all  other  animals  under  the  law  of 
might.  But  it  was  not  so  with  the  rib.  The  rib  saw  farther 
ahead  than  the  beast;  it  had  more  sagacity,  and  like  the  ser- 
pent, said  to  itself,  here  is  a  tree  or  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil,  or  judge  of  right  and  wrong,  and  if  you  eat  it  or  inves- 
tigate you  shall  be  like  the  father  of  it,  more  than  the  brute. 
Here  you  see  the  true  character  of  wisdom.  It  shrinks 
not  from  investigating,  although  it  is  unpopular  and  has  the 
whole  world  to  contend  with.  It  fights  its  way  regardless 
of  danger.     So  it  ate  or  investigated  whatever  it  saw, 

Now  I  will  suppose  the  tree.  Theories  are  something 
called  trees.  The  tree  that  bears  not  good  fruit,  and  is  to 
be  hewn  down,  is  anything  man  wants  to  investigate.  .  .  . 
You  must  go  back  to  Adam  and  Eve,  or  to  a  little  child,  as 
Jesus  said  when  He  undertook  to  explain  the  same  idea.  So 
of  course  it  had  no  reference  to  man  and  woman  as  we  see 
them,  but  to  the  development  of  knowledge  above  the  brute. 
So  He  takes  man  and  woman  as  figures  of  truth  and  error, 
and  shows  that  the  mind  of  woman  is  better  calculated  to 
receive  seed  or  investigate.  Women  have  more  endurance 
and  more  patience  to  investigate  any  new  science  than  man. 
And  their  wisdom  is  not  of  this  world,  but  of  that  higher 
power  called  Science.  When  they  give  their  idea  to  man,  he 
then  eats  or  understands,  and  then  goes  to  work  to  form  the 
idea  that  has  been  given  to  him  by  the  woman.  It  has  always 
been  the  case  that  all  spiritual  wisdom  has  been  received 
through  the  female.  The  oracle  of  Delphi  was  a  woman. 
As  men's  minds  are  more  brutal  and  less  scientific  or  spirit- 
ual, they  never  believe  till  they  can  see  with  the  natural  man's 


388  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATB 

eyes.  Science  to  them  is  a  shadow.  Now  as  [the  natural] 
man  is  of  matter  and  his  thoughts  are  a  part  of  himself,  he 
lives  on  his  ideas  and  forms  all  his  plans  in  matter  and  carries 
them  out  in  matter;  thus  the  natural  man  knows  nothing 
about  matter.  The  spiritual  man  or  the  woman  is  out  of 
matter,  and  sees  all  the  changes  of  matter.  These  two 
characters  are  in  every  man,  and  to  distinguish  them  is  what 
is  taught  by  this  Science.  Science  suffers  long  before  it 
becomes  a  fact.  It  envieth  not  other  science.  It  vaunteth 
not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up;  doth  not  behave  unseemly;  is 
not  easily  provoked;  thinketh  no  evil;  rejoiceth  not  in 
iniquity,  but  rejoices  in  the  truth.  Science  never  faileth, 
but  prophecies  do.  The  knowledge  of  this  world  fails,  but 
Science  never  fails. 

CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE 

[In  most  of  his  articles  Dr.  Quimby  used  the  expressions 
"Christ  or  Truth,"  "Christ  or  Science,"  and  so  the  term 
Science  came  to  stand  for  "the  Science  of  the  Christ,"  or 
"Science  of  Health  and  Happiness."  In  an  article  on  "Aris- 
tocracy and  Democracy,"  written,  February,  1863,  he  uses 
the  term  "Christian  Science"  for  the  first  time.  The 
paragraph  in  which  the  term  occurs  is  as  follows:] 

The  leaders  of  the  medical  schools,  through  the  hypocrisy 
of  their  profession,  deceive  the  people  into  submission  to 
their  opinions,  while  democracy  forges  the  fetters  which 
are  to  bind  them  to  disease.  Science,  which  would  destroy 
this  bondage,  is  looked  upon  as  blasphemy  when  it  dares 
oppose  the  faculty,  and  religion  has  no  place  in  medical 
science.  So  in  the  church  the  religion  of  Jesus'  Science 
is  never  heard;  for  it  would  drive  aristocracy  out  of  the 
pulpit,  and  scatter  seeds  of  freedom  among  the  people. 
Nevertheless,  the  religion  of  Christ  is  shown  in  the  progress 
of  Christian  Science,  while  the  religion  of  society  decays  as 
the  liberal  principles  are  developed.  Man's  religion  labors 
to  keep  Science  down  in  all  churches  North  and  South,  by 
suppressing  free  discussion,  for  aristocracy  will  not  have 
anything  tending  to  freedom. 

[In  lengthy  articles  devoted  to  biblical  interpretation,  Dr. 
Quimby  endeavored  to  show  that  there  is  a  spiritual  Science 
in  the  Bible  underneath  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  in  all 
these  studies  he  contrasts  the  two  forces  at  work  within  man, 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  389 

for  example,  Cain  and  Abel,  Law  and  Gospel,  Saul  and 
Paul.  He  believed  that  the  Bible  was  never  intended  as  a 
religious  book  in  the  common  acceptance  of  the  term,  it 
"has  nothing  to  do  with  theology,"  but  contains  a  ''scientific" 
explanation  of  cause  and  effect,  showing  how  man  must 
act  and  think  for  his  happiness.  Thus  the  account  of  crea- 
tion pertains  to  man's  spiritual  development,  not  to  the  pro- 
duction of  a  literal  earth.  Dr.  Quimby  also  expounded  many 
passages  in  the  New  Testament  so  as  to  free  his  patients 
from  a  literal  view  and  show  that  Jesus'  sayings  implied 
"the  Christ  within"  or  true  healing  principle.  Thus  he 
set  the  example  followed  by  all  his  adlierents  who  have 
found  a  key  to  the   Scriptures  in  spiritual  interpretation. 

[It  will  be  noticed  that  statements  appear  from  time  to 
time  in  the  foregoing  selections  from  which  it  would  be  easy 
to  make  the  inferences  on  which  "Christian  Science"  ordina- 
rily so-called  was  based.  For  example,  in  "Questions  and 
Answers"  we  read,  "There  is  no  wisdom  in  matter,"  and  that 
the  truth  or  understanding  on  which  Quimby  bases  his  teach- 
ing "is  God,  ...  for  in  that  there  is  no  matter;  and  so  to 
understand  is  Wisdom,  not  matter."  Matter  is  said  to  be 
merely  "an  idea"  or  "shadow."  Combine  these  statements 
with  the  proposition  that  "matter  contains  no  life  or  intelli- 
gence" and  that  life  or  intelligence  is  to  be  attributed  to  God 
only,  and  it  is  only  a  step  to  infer  that  "all  is  mind,  there  is 
no  matter" — that  is,  no  matter  in  God.  Matter  comes  into 
view  when  it  is  a  question  of  opinions  or  errors  which  take 
shape  according  to  our  allegiance  to  them,  our  bondage  to 
the  mind  of  opinions — called  by  Mrs.  Eddy  "mortal  mind." 
Dr.  Quimby  did  not  deny  the  existence  of  matter  as  an  ex- 
pression of  mind.  But  he  did  say  that  there  is  "no  matter 
in  God."  Hence  it  is  legitimate  to  say  in  that  connection: 
"all  is  mind,  there  is  no  matter." 

[Again,  we  find  Quimby  saying,  "The  Science  of  Health 
which  I  teach  was  practised  by  Jesus.  .  .  .  His  Science  or 
Christ  put  man  in  tune."  "This  knowledge  which  I  put  in 
practice  is  the  Science  of  Health."  He  also  refers  to  the 
"Principle  that  never  moves,  the  foundation  of  all  things." 
God  to  Quimby  was  this  "Principle"  which  Jesus  taught  as 
"the  Christ."  Here  we  have  the  origin  of  the  term  "Science 
and  Health,"  and  the  other  terms  on  which  the  later 
"Christian    Science"    was    founded.     This    Science    was    to 


390  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

Quimby  the  clue  to  the  spiritual  interpretation  of  Scripture. 
He  also  speaks  of  it  as  "revelation." 

[It  is  noticeable  that  in  "Questions  and  Answers"  there  is 
no  clear  idea  of  the  human  self,  and  that  other  points  ob- 
scure in  that  manuscript  are  obscure  in  "Christian  Science," 
also.  On  the  whole  "Questions  and  Answers"  is  very  obscure. 
Nor  is  there  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  earlier  writings 
a  clear  idea  concerning  the  nature  and  origin  of  evil.  Hence 
it  would  have  been  easy  to  make  the  inference :  "all  is  good, 
there  is  no  evil,"  since  Quimby  attributes  all  evil  to  human 
opinion  or  error,  and  finds  no  reality  in  an  ultimate  sense  in 
human  opinions  and  errors.  Later,  he  is  more  explicit,  and 
plainly  says  that  goodness  is  to  be  attributed  to  God  only, 
goodness  is  due  to  Science,  and  should  be  taught  to  young 
and  old  as  a  Science.  It  is  therefore  right  to  infer  that  evil 
is  due  to  our  ignorance,  to  opinion.  Had  we  been  taught 
Science  from  the  beginning,  we  would  have  grown  up  without 
diseases,  without  evil;  and  we  would  never  have  mistaken 
appearances  or  shadows  for  reality. 

[Dr.  Quimby  never  uses  the  language  of  denial.  He  never 
explicitly  says,  "there  is  no  matter,"  or  "there  is  no  evil." 
This  is  a  legitimate  back-handed  way  of  declaring  what 
to  him  was  the  greatest  truth :  there  is  no  reality  save  that 
which  exists  in  God  or  Science.  His  realization  of  this  truthj 
was  so  strong  that  he  did  not  need  denials.  Furthermore,  as 
the  foregoing  selections  make  plain,  he  believed  it  necessary 
to  explain  as  well  as  cure  or  heal ;  and  to  explain  was  to  show 
precisely  in  what  way  shadows  had  been  misinterpreted  as 
substances.  His  realization  for  Mrs.  Patterson-Eddy  gave 
her  the  impetus  which  started  her  on  the  way  we  find  her 
following  as  indicated  by  her  letters,  1862-64,  while  she  is 
gradually  gaining  strength  and  learning  to  apply  the  new 
"Science."  Her  later  statements,  like  those  of  Rev.  Mr.  Evans 
and  the  other  followers  of  Quimby,  are  conditioned  by  her 
understanding  of  what  Quimby  meant.  Whether  her  infer- 
ences were  right  or  not,  or  whether  Evans  in  his  "Mental 
Cure"  and  "The  Divine  Law  of  Cure"  was  a  clearer  reasoner, 
must  be  left  for  the  reader  to  determine.] 

LIFE 

When  we  speak  of  life  we  speak  of  it  as  though  it  were 
a  thing.     But  there  are  as  many  kinds  of  life  as  there  are 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  391 

birds  or  fishes  or  anything  which  grows,  and  the  life  of  a 
plant  is  not  the  same  as  that  of  a  tree ;  neither  is  the  life  of 
man  the  same  as  that  of  a  beast.  All  life  is  the  result  of  the 
chemical  action  of  some  idea,  so  that  life  is  matter,  and  it 
lives  on  life  or  matter;  therefore  the  material  man  is  made 
up  of  life  and  death.  This  life  is  continually  changing,  so 
that  we  live  on  life  which  we  receive  from  others.  Ideas  are 
[spiritual]  matter  and  of  course  they  contain  life. 

We  eat  or  receive  life  in  the  wrctag  sense.  For  instance, 
the  Jews  when  they  ate  pork  thought  they  ate  life,  for  their 
belief  was  that  it  would  produce  a  disease :  although  the  pork 
was  dead  it  would  rise  again  in  the  form  of  scrofula.  So  to 
avoid  having  that  life  in  them  they  would  not  eat  pork. 

Now,  as  absurd  as  this  idea  is,  it  is  the  basis  of  our  knowl- 
edge about  disease.  How  often  are  we  reminded  not  to  eat 
such  and  such  things.  We  all  admit  that  animal  food  has 
life  in  it.  So  we  eat  it  as  life ;  for  when  we  say  that  it  is  so 
far  decayed  that  it  is  not  good  we  look  on  it  as  poison.  So 
also  we  receive  life  into  our  stomach  as  though  it  really  added 
to  our  life  or  strength.  How  often  we  talk  about  fat  mak- 
ing us  warmer.  All  these  ideas  are  the  result  of  error  and 
their  fruits  are  disease. 

Does  the  dog  eat  meat  as  though  it  had  life  ?  No,  he  eats 
it  as  "dead"  and  expects  no  bad  effects  from  it.  So  it  is  with 
all  living  beings  but  man.  Man  has  reasoned  himself  into  a 
belief  that  all  he  eats  and  drinks  contains  life,  and  this  life 
or  food  is  his  enemy  or  friend  according  to  his  belief.  Thus 
he  is  kept  continually  on  the  watch  what  kind  of  food  he 
receives.  Although  the  life  or  food  that  he  receives  con- 
tains the  idea  of  death,  yet  his  belief  is  that  he  lives,  and  he 
is  affected  by  his  belief. 

Now  when  I  eat  or  drink,  the  life  that  was  in  the  sub- 
stance eaten  is  dead  to  me,  and  has  no  life  in  it.  So  I  am 
not  afraid  in  eating  pork  of  any  bad  effects.  Neither  am  I 
afraid  if  I  listen  and  take  a  person's  feelings  arising  from 
scrofula  or  any  other  disease  that  I  shall  have  the  disease,  for 
the  life  of  the  disease  is  in  the  person  who  believes  it. 

What  is  the  weapon  that  destroys  this  life  or  disease? 
Science.  This  is  eternal,  and  that  destroys  all  other  life. 
This  is  to  the  animal  life,  death.  So  Science  to  the  natural 
man  is  nothing  that  contains  life.  But  this  Science  is  a 
Principle.  This  is  the  only  living  and  eternal  life.  This 
Science  is  what  rose  from  the  dead  or  natural  life. 


392  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

Man  in  his  natural  state  was  no  more  liable  to  disease  than 
the  beast.  But  as  soon  as  he  began  to  reason  he  became 
diseased,  for  his  disease  was  in  his  reason.  Therefore  his 
reason  was  his  life,  and  this  made  him  afraid  of  his  reason. 
This  the  doctors  called  nervousness,  and  to  prevent  this  ner- 
vous life  they  introduced  disease  in  certain  things  we  eat  or 
drink. 

Let  man  rid  himself  of  these  blind  guides  and  follow  the 
command  of  God,  and  take  no  thought  of  what  he  shall  eat 
or  drink  as  having  anything  to  do  with  his  health  and  he  will 
then  be  much  better  off.  Seek  first  Science  at  the  appear- 
ance of  every  phenomenon,  and  pay  no  attention  to  your  food 
any  more  than  the  rest  of  God's  creatures  do.  If  man  were 
as  wise  in  regard  to  what  goes  into  his  stomach  as  the  beast 
he  would  be  much  better  off.  Let  the  health  alone.  Seek 
to  enlighten  man  in  Science,  and  as  Science  is  developed 
man  will  become  wise  and  happy.  This  life  is  in  his  wisdom 
and  his  wisdom  is  a  science.  To  put  his  science  into  practice 
for  his  own  happiness  is  to  correct  some  error  that  he  has 
embraced.  To  prove  the  science  to  others  is  to  take  some- 
thing that  man  is  troubled  about  in  the  form  of  a  disease 
which  creates  unhappiness,  and  correct  the  opinion  so  that 
health  is  established. 


I  have  shown  that  there  is  no  matter  independent  of  mind 
or  life.  It  is  proved  by  geologists  that  matter  is  going 
through  a  process  of  change  which  is  called  life.  Then  life 
is  in  the  atmosphere  or  space.  And  if  life  is  in  a  state 
invisible  to  matter  it  may  fill  all  space.  In  tliis  space  there 
must  be  diversity  of  matter  or  life,  namely,  the  life  of 
minerals,  the  life  of  vegetables,  and  the  life  of  animals; 
and  all  these  are  in  the  atmosphere  like  the  mist  that  went 
up  from  the  earth  at  creation.  Thus  matter  or  life  is  in 
an  invisible  state  to  the  visible  matter,  but  governed  by 
the  same  God.  This  makes  the  material  earth  or  natural 
world.  God  made  matter  and  condensed  it  into  certain 
forms  and  elements  that  were  necessary  for  man.  And 
to  be  a  combination  of  these  it  was  necessary  that  there 
should  be  a  chemical  union  of  all  matter  dissolved  into 
space  before  man  could  be  formed.  For  man's  body  is  made 
of  the  dust  of  this  living  matter. 

As  man  contains  all  the  elements  of  this  material  world 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  393 

or  life,  he  is  a  minature  world  in  himself.  This  matter  or 
life  under  the  wisdom  of  God  forms  tlie  identity  of  what 
is  called  the  natural  man,  so  that  man,  spoken  into  being, 
was  made  up  of  all  the  elements  of  the  material  world.  .  .  . 
The  natural  man  commences  his  life  in  a  higher  state  of 
matter.  The  field  or  garden  in  which  he  is  placed  is  with 
all  the  creation  of  animal  forms,  and  he  is  liable  to  all  the 
evils  which  his  life  is  capable  of  knowing.  ...  It  is  not 
strange  that  phenomena  should  appear  while  man  is  so 
ignorant  of  what  he  is  composed  of  which  can  be  traced 
to  the  animal  kingdom.  All  phenomena  are  the  effect  of 
what  man  receives  from  tliis  animal  life  .  .  .  and  as  his 
life  is  in  his  belief  he  reasons  his  life  out  of  existence. 
Being  a  progressive  process,  his  life  has  to  contend  with 
all  the  grosser  life  or  matter  of  the  animal.  But  as  he  is 
the  rib  or  purest  part  of  animal  life,  he  contains  the  elements 
of  knowledge,  and  this  the  lower  life  does  not  contain.  .  .  . 

MAN   AND    WOMAN 

Man,  like  the  earth,  is  throwing  off  a  vapor,  and  that 
contains  his  knowledge.  Out  of  this  vapor  comes  a  more 
perfect  identity  of  living  matter,  more  rarified  than  the 
former,  and  consequently  in  danger  of  being  devoured  by 
it.  The  latter  life  is  less  gross,  therefore  more  spiritual, 
so  that  what  it  loses  in  physical  strength  it  receives  from 
a  higher  power  approaching  God  or  Science.  This  Science 
is  the  wisdom  of  God  that  controls  the  higher  intellect.  As 
the  earth  is  composed  of  different  kinds  of  soil,  so  man 
varies  from  the  lowest  grade  of  animal  intelligence  to  that 
higher  state  of  consciousness  which  can  receive  Science.  .  .  . 
The  spiritual  rib  that  rises  from  man  is  more  perfect  matter 
or  soil,  called  woman.  ...  I  do  not  mean  that  woman 
means  every  female.  Nor  do  I  pretend  to  say  that  man 
means  everything  of  the  animal.  But  that  the  mind  of  the 
female  contains  more  of  that  superior  substance  required 
to  receive  the  higher  development  of  God's  wisdom.  For 
this  element  is  pure  love  that  has  been  purified  by  the  change 
life  has  gone  through.  .  .  . 

Phenomena  have  always  occurred  in  the  form  of  Science, 
as  though  man  had  once  been  advanced  far  beyond  his  present 
condition.  .  .  .  The  male  creation  feeds  on  the  lower  order 
of  life.     It  makes  the  higher  order  a  sort  of  pet  for  a  while, 


394  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

the  natural  man  sports  and  plays  with  the  female.  While 
the  purer  part  of  his  nature  is  sympathizing  with  its  own 
love  in  a  liigher  soil  or  life,  the  animal  life  is  prowling 
around  to  devour  the  little  pleasure  that  is  striving  to  grow 
in  this  barren  soil.  This  keeps  science  down,  for  it  is  not 
known  to  the  natural  man.  But  put  this  science  into  the 
life  or  soul  of  the  female,  and  then  she  is  safe  from  the 
animal  life,  and  it  puts  her  in  possession  of  a  Science  that 
the  natural  man  knows  nothing  of.  It  separates  her  from 
matter  and  brings  her  into  that  spiritual  state  that  rises 
from  all  animal  life  with  a  knowledge  of  its  character. 
Like  a  chemist  she  then  stands  among  all  kinds  of  matter, 
which  are  under  her  control,  and  which  she  has  the  power  of 
changing.  Then  she  becomes  a  teacher  of  that  Science  which 
puts  man  in  possession  of  a  wisdom  that  can  subject  all  animal 
life  to  his  own  control,  and  separate  the  wisdom  of  tliis  world 
from  the  wisdom  of  God.  Then  woman  becomes  a  teacher  of 
the  young,  and  man  stands  to  woman  as  a  servant  to  his  Lord, 
ready  to  investigate  all  phenomena  by  Science.  The  woman 
is  the  one  who  gives  all  the  impressions  to  the  child.  .  .  . 

But  man  from  some  cause,  probably  from  having  more 
physical  strength,  and  looking  upon  all  things  as  inferior 
to  his  own  wisdom,  is  not  content  to  subject  all  the  brute 
creation  to  his  will,  but  must  subject  the  very  creature 
that  his  best  life  or  nature  adores,  and  in  this  way  woman 
is  deprived  of  carrying  out  the  science  that  God  intended. 
By  this  physical  force  woman  is  kept  down,  and  does  not 
take  the  place  in  the  world  which  God  intended.  But  I 
maintain  that  wherever  in  the  world  matter  or  life  becomes 
pure  enough  for  science  to  reign  over  ignorance,  then  Science 
will  become  the  master  and  ignorance  the  servant.  .  .  . 
Mind  is  only  another  state  called  life  that  is  purifying  itself 
to  receive  a  higher  life  that  will  never  end;  that  is  Sci- 
ence. .  .  .  Man  lives  on  such  active  life  as  his  appetite 
craves,  and  as  he  separates  the  animal  from  the  spiritual,  his 
appetite  or  passions  change  till  he  is  completely  carried  away 
by  the  spiritual  life.  .  .  . 

Science  teaches  man  that  although  he  is  not  of  this  world 
he  is  a  teacher  in  it,  and  being  a  teacher  he  is  a  soldier 
in  the  hands  of  Science.  To  fight  the  life  of  error  like  a 
soldier  and  contend  for  the  truth  or  Science  requires  more 
courage  than  it  does  to  fight  for  your  own  bread.  .  .  . 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  395 

As  the  soil  of  California  is  rich  enough  to  produce  gold,  so 
the  soul  or  life  of  the  female  is  rich  enough  to  produce  the 
wisdom  of  God.  It  does  not  follow  that  the  life  of  woman 
is  the  only  soil  capable  of  producing  Science,  but  it  contains 
more  spiritual  wisdom  than  is  found  in  man.  This 
is  as  should  be,  and  if  it  could  be  admitted  by  man,  so  that 
woman  could  have  her  place  in  the  life  of  man,  the  world 
would  in  a  short  time  be  rid  of  the  scourges,  the  medical 
faculty  and  priests  that  now  infest  the  land.  Women  are 
religious  from  Science  naturally,  and  had  not  man  instructed 
them  the  world  would  have  been  free  now  from  super- 
stition and  evils  tliat  follow  our  belief.  Woman  is  not  so 
superstitious  as  man.  .  .  .  Her  sympathy  is  inexhaustible. 
While  men  would  get  out  of  patience  and  would  leave  the 
sick,  woman  will  cling  to  them  as  much  as  to  say,  "Death, 
you  shall  not  have  this  life." 

Now,  where  is  woman  placed?  Just  where  man  puts  her 
to  satisfy  himself.  She  has  nothing  to  do  with  her  situation, 
but  she  must  be  content  with  what  man  chooses  to  assign 
her.  In  wisdom  he  of  course  is  to  be  the  great  center  of 
attraction,  and  although  he  has  no  light,  only  as  it  is 
thrown  from  the  sun  or  higher  power  of  his  wisdom,  woman 
thinks  his  light  is  derived  from  a  power  superior  to  him- 
self. .  .  .  But  a  female  coming  forward  in  public  to  advocate 
man's  ideas  is  as  much  below  the  male  as  a  male  who 
personifies  a  brute  for  the  gratification  of  an  audience  is 
below  the  brute  itself.  .  .  .  Wliere  is  woman's  true  position? 
As  a  teacher  of  the  Science  of  Health  and  Happiness.  This 
is  what  man  does  not  want  to  do.  It  is  too  much  like  labor 
to  toil  over  little  children,  and  sit  by  tlie  sick  and  take  their 
sufferings  upon  oneself.  Men  will  not  do  this.  But  they 
are  very  willing  to  bind  burdens  upon  their  neighbors,  which 
they  will  not  lift  one  finger  to  remove:  by  teaching  false 
doctrines,  whose  effect  on  the  people  they  do  not  know,  which 
keep  the  people  in  bondage  and  all  their  lives  subject  to 
death.  .  . 

Man  is  the  life  of  all  life  before  him.  He  becomes  a 
sort  of  living  matter,  subject  to  all  the  laws  of  life  or 
matter.  ...  At  last  he  becomes  more  refined,  and  becomes 
the  medium  of  the  life  of  Science  or  everlasting  life,  where 
there  is  no  death,  but  where  all  things  are  tried  by 
Science.  .  .  . 


396  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 


LIGHT 

Every  man  is  a  part  of  God,  just  so  far  as  he  is  wisdoni.  So 
I  will  tell  what  I  know,  not  what  I  believe.  I  worship  no 
God  except  my  own  and  I  will  tell  you  what  He  teaches  me. 
In  the  first  place  He  puts  no  restrictions  on  me,  in  fact  He 
is  in  me,  and  just  as  I  know  myself  I  know  Him ;  so  that  God 
and  I  are  one,  just  as  my  children  and  I  are  one.  To  please 
myself  I  please  God,  and  to  injure  myself  is  to  injure  my  God. 
So  all  I  have  to  do  is  to  please  myself.  As  God  and  I  are  one 
60  you  and  I  are  one,  and  to  please  myself  is  to  please  you, 
and  to  injure  myself  is  to  injure  you,  so  just  as  I  measure 
out  to  you  I  measure  out  to  myself.  As  you  and  I  are  one, 
you  and  your  neighlwr  are  one,  and  to  love  your  neighbor 
as  yourself  is  more  than  all  the  prayers  made  by  all  the 
priests  in  the  world.  I  know  that  if  I  do  by  another  as  I 
would  be  done  by  in  like  circumstances  I  feel  right,  so  I 
judge  no  man.  I  do  not  judge  of  myself,  for  my  knowledge  of 
this  Wisdom  is  as  plain  to  me  as  my  senses. 

To  the  world  this  is  a  belief,  but  to  me  it  is  wisdom  that 
the  religious  world  knows  not  of.  It  they  did  they  would 
never  crucify  me  as  they  do  in  their  ignorance.  So  my  reli- 
gion is  my  wisdom  which  is  not  of  this  world,  but  of  that 
Wisdom  that  will  break  in  pieces  the  wisdom  of  men.  Man's 
wisdom  is  the  superstition  of  heathen  idolatry ;  all  Science  is 
at  variance  with  it.  I  stand  alone,  not  believing  in  any- 
thing independent  of  Science;  so  you  can  put  me  down  as 
having  no  sympathy  with  any  belief  or  religion  concerning 
another  world,  or  in  anything  belonging  to  the  Christian 
death.  Neither  have  I  any  belief  in  the  resurrection  of  the 
body.  My  death  is  this^  ignorance ;  life  is  Wisdom,  death 
is  darkness  or  matter.  All  men  have  wandered  from  light 
and  believed  in  darkness.  To  destroy  matter  you  introduce 
light  or  life. 

I  will  illustrate.  Suppose  you  are  sitting  in  the  dark, 
call  that  this  world.  Now  as  the  light  springs  up  where  is 
the  darkness?  The  light  is  the  resurrection  of  this  body 
or  darkness.  What  becomes  of  it  when  the  light  rises? 
So  it  is  with  man.  Man  is  an  idea  of  matter  or  darkness, 
and  as  his  mind  becomes  lit  up  or  clairvoyant  the  darkness  of 
the  idea  of  matter  is  gone,  and  he  is  in  light  that  the  wisdom 
of  this  world  or  darkness  has  not.  So  light  came  into 
darkness  and  the  darkness  comprehended  it  not. 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  397 

Wlien  I  sit  down  by  a  patient  I  come  out  of  this  matter  or 
darkness  and  stand  by  the  patient's  senses,  which  are  attached 
to  some  idea  of  the  wisdom  of  this  world  which  troubles  him. 
I  retain  my  former  man  and  senses.  I  also  have  another 
identity  independent  of  matter,  and  as  I  (knowing  what  is 
the  cause  of  his  misery)  stand  by  the  matter  or  belief  of 
my  patient  and  destroy  his  belief  or  the  effect  it  has  on  his 
senses,  then  as  the  darkness  or  belief  is  lit  up  by  the  wis- 
dom of  Science,  his  darkness  disappears  and  he  rejoices 
in  the  light.  The  light  leads  him  back  to  his  health,  from 
whence  he  had  been  decoyed  by  the  blind  guides  spoken  of  in 
scripture.  Here  you  have  what  I  believe  and  what  I  dis- 
believe— the  two  are  my  law  and  gospel.  By  the  law  no  one 
can  be  saved,  but  by  the  gospel  of  Truth,  Science  will  have 
all  saved, — not  from  the  Christian  world,  but  from  this  world 
of  superstition  and  ignorance,  saved  for  the  greater  truth 
that  was  prepared  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  for  all 
those  who  search  and  try  to  find  it.  You  cannot  go  into 
the  clouds  to  call  it  down,  nor  into  the  sea  to  call  it  up, 
but  it  is  in  you,  in  your  very  thoughts.  It  is  not  of  this 
world,  but  of  a  higher  state,  that  can  penetrate  this  earthly 
matter  as  light  through  darkness.  As  the  senses  are  the 
body  of  truth  they  travel  through  the  light,  as  a  man  with  a 
lamp  travels  through  the  dark.  So  it  is  not  every  one  who  has 
a  lamp  with  oil,  nor  is  every  one  wise  who  says  he  is  so. 
But  he  is  wise  who  can  come  up  to  the  one  in  the  dark, 
and  lead  him  through  this  wilderness  of  disease  into  the 
light  of  reason  and  health.  Like  the  good  man  who  had 
the  hundred  sheep  and  one  wandered  away  in  the  dark, 
he  left  the  ninety  and  nine  that  were  in  the  light  and  went 
and  found  the  lost  one  and  restored  him  to  the  fold.  Now 
let  those  who  pretend  to  be  shepherds  of  the  sheep,  or 
of  poor  sick  persons  starving  to  death  like  the  prodigal 
son  for  spiritual  food,  eating  the  husks  of  science,  not  the 
priest's  food,  go  and  guide  them  along  to  the  father  of  health 
where  they  can  eat  and  be  glad  and  have  music  and  dancing. 
This  was  Christ's  truth;  He  was  the  good  shepherd,  the 
people  were  His  sheep,  and  all  who  looked  at  Him  and  lis- 
tened to  the  true  wisdom,  were  saved  from  the  errors  of 
the  priests  and  doctors.  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent 
of  the  old  Egyptian  theology  or  creed,  and  explained  them, 
and  all  those  who  looked  on  his  explanation  were  healed 


398  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

of  their  errors  that  made  disease,  so  Christ  was  lifted 
up,  and  all  who  understood  were  healed  from  the 
doctrine  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees.  So  in  our  day 
[November,  18G0]  I  hold  up  the  serpent  of  creeds  and  doc- 
tors' theories,  and  show  the  absurdity  of  their  beliefs  and  all 
who  understand  are  healed  of  their  diseases. 

DEATH 

What  is  death  ?  M',an  from  ignorance  has  associated  truth 
with  error  till  error  has  got  to  be  as  true  as  life  itself.  Life 
cannot  be  seen  except  as  it  is  made  manifest  in  some  idea. 
This  idea  is  called  matter,  and  it  has  become  so  identified 
with  life  that  life  cannot  exist  without  it.  This  is  the  way 
man  reasons :  To  destroy  life  is  to  destroy  the  idea  that 
contains  it.  Therefore  when  we  see  our  idea  without  life 
we  say  our  life  is  dead.  This  would  be  true  if  death  were 
life.  But  this  is  not  so,  according  to  the  words  of  Jesus. 
He  says,  "I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life."  He  came 
to  destroy  death,  and  him  who  had  the  power  of  death,  that 
is,  the  devil.  Now  if  the  devil  has  the  power  of  death, 
death  cannot  mean  what  the  people  think  it  does.  If  death 
means  what  we  are  taught  to  believe  it  does,  then  Jesus  knew 
not  what  He  said.  It  either  means  an  idea  can  be  changed 
or  it  means  the  destruction  of  life,  and  in  the  latter  case 
what  Jesus  said  amounts  to  nothing. 

I  am  certain  that  I  know  what  Jesus  meant  to  convey 
to  the  people,  for  I  have  seen  death  myself  and  the  eternal 
life  He  spoke  of,  and  can  testify  that  I  have  passed  from 
death  unto  life,  as  He  taught  the  disciples.  And  knowing 
this  life  that  is  in  Christ  I  teach  it  to  you,  not  by  opinions 
but  by  words  of  wisdom  that  will  destroy  death  and  put 
you  in  possession  of  tliat  true  life  that  will  make  death 
only  an  idea,  like  all  other  ideas  man  must  be  rid  of  to  be 
happy. 

At  the  time  Jesus  taught  this  eternal  world  the  world  was 
in  darkness  in  regard  to  one  thing,  that  was  life  independent 
of  a  belief.  But  as  the  lamp  of  Science  was  lit  up  it  dis- 
pelled the  shadow  of  opinions  and  embraced  life.  Matter 
is  with  Science  nothing  but  a  shadow.  As  its  belief  is  changed 
death  is  destroyed  and  life  takes  its  place.  .  .  . 

We  have  all  been  made  to  believe  that  we  were  flesh  and 
blood.  ...  I  believed  as  all  the  world  did  that  this  body 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  399 

would  die,  and  that  I  might  be  raised  and  reunited  with  my 
friends  in  another  world,  either  happy  or  miserable.  Now, 
all  this  is  under  the  law,  but  by  the  law  no  flesh  can  be 
saved.  In  the  darkness  of  this  error  the  light  sprang  up 
and  I  rose  from  the  dead  or  unbelief  to  the  light  of  Science, 
and  am  now  out  of  my  old  belief. 

I  will  illustrate.  You  wiere  once  ignorant  of  mathe- 
matics. If  some  one  had  given  you  a  mathematical  book  it 
would  have  been  darkness  to  you.  But  the  principle  or 
spiritual  wisdom  was  in  the  book.  As  you  began  to  under- 
stand you  would  have  life,  and  the  life  would  be  in  your 
understanding.  You  would  still  have  a  body  of  flesh  and 
blood  in  your  belief.  Losing  your  ignorance,  you  would 
rise  from  the  dead  into  the  scientific  world,  where  those 
in  the  law  or  ignorance  would  not  see  you ;  for  the  dead  know 
nothing  of  mathematics. 

Instead  of  being  in  the  book,  therefore,  you  are  out  of 
it,  and  to  prove  this  you  say  to  those  who  are  struggling 
with  the  world  that  you  will  show  yourself  by  your  resurrec- 
tion. So  you  do  a  mathematical  problem  without  the  book, 
and  then  show  people  that  they  are  to  be  judged  by  their 
own  books,  and  if  they  are  not  found  in  the  book  of  Science 
they  are  dead  in  their  own  sins  or  ignorance.  You  have  a 
body  of  flesh  and  blood  in  botli  worlds. 

So  it  is  with  all  other  error.  Death  is  ignorance,  and 
unless  you  are  made  to  destroy  it  by  your  own  belief  [effort] 
you  cannot  get  rid  of  it.  The  world  has  made  an  end  of  life, 
but  Jesus  was  the  end  of  the  world's  life ;  so  the  world's 
life  to  Him  was  death  and  His  life  was  the  destruction  of 
their  belief.  So  I  believe  in  flesh  and  blood  but  not  in  death, 
for  I  have  passed  from  that  belief  into  a  life  that  is  eternal. 
I  have  flesh  and  blood,  as  you  all  see ;  I  shall  never  be  with- 
out it  [never  without  a  body].  But  you  from  belief  may 
destroy  my  life  to  yourself,  while  to  me  it  is  the  same  today 
and  forever.  Here  you  have  the  belief  of  one  who  has  seen 
the  idea  death  swallowed  up  in  Science,  therefore  to  me  the 
change  is  not  a  thing  of  belief  but  a  truth. 

You  may  ask  me  if  I  do  not  believe  in  what  is  called  death. 
I  answer,  yes,  if  I  did  not  I  sliould  not  try  to  destroy  it 
in  others.  To  know  that  my  friends  are  separated  from  me 
on  account  of  their  unbelief  makes  me  more  earnest  that  they 
should  believe  the  truth.     If  your  father  or  mother  were 


400  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

carried  out  of  your  sight  and  you  thought  they  were  dead, 
if  they  knew  it  would  they  not  weep  for  your  unbelief? 
They  know  they  are  alive  with  flesh  and  blood.  But  your 
belief  makes  a  wall  so  dense  that  you  cannot  penetrate  your 
own  belief. 


I  will  now  say  a  few  words  in  regard  to  the  state  called 
death.  As  this  error  is  so  well  established  that  it  is  folly 
to  deny  it,  I  must  explain  my  grounds  for  denying  what 
every  one  believes.  Let  us  see  what  man  loses  by  the  change 
called  death.  If  you  make  a  man  admit  that  his  happiness 
is  in  this  state  of  error  or  opinions,  then  to  get  out  of  it 
would  be  death.  But  convince  every  person  that  he  might 
sit  down  and  fall  into  a  state  in  which  he  might  go  where 
he  pleased,  and  enjoy  the  society  of  those  he  did  in  his 
waking  state,  and  be  responsible  for  his  acts  the  same  as 
though  awake,  and  if  his  ability  and  genius  and  good  char- 
acter earn  for  him  the  sympathy  of  some  friend  that  would 
like  to  have  him  accompany  him  to  a  foreign  country,  and 
he  should  go  and  enjoy  all  the  privileges  of  a  guest,  then 
wake  up,  don't  you  suppose  he  would  like  to  take  another 
trip? 

Now  destroy  all  ideas  of  death  and  that  would  destroy 
disease.  Then  man  would  labor  for  wisdom,  and  when  he 
grew  rich  he  would  say  to  himself,  "I  am  rich  enough,  so  I 
will  now  lie  down  and  rest  and  enjoy  my  friends,  and  listen  to 
the  world's  talk."  So  he  gives  up  his  cares  and  lies  down, 
and  rides  around  and  enjoys  himself.  One  is  a  figure  of 
the  other;  but  one  is  real,  and  the  other  is  a  shadow.  The 
man  who  is  rich  in  this  world's  goods  to  the  exclusion  of 
some  scientific  capital  cannot  travel  in  the  world  of  Science 
with  his  money.  To  have  money  and  no  wisdom  is  to  be 
like  the  rich  man  in  the  Bible  spoken  of  by  Jesus.  He  had 
been  at  work  and  got  rich,  and  his  crops  were  so  large  that 
he  said  to  himself :  "I  will  tear  down  my  old  house  and  barn, 
and  build  me  a  more  expensive  establishment;  or  I  will  dress 
up  and  go  into  more  educated  society,  among  tlie  literary 
world  and  enjoy  myself."  But  Science  says  to  him,  "This 
night  shalt  thou  be  satisfied  that  all  thy  riches  will  not  make 
thee  a  man  of  Science."  So  you  must  lose  all  that  foolish 
pride  that  impels  the  rules  of  the  world,  for  where  Science 
comes  riches  take  to  themselves  wings  and  fly  away  into  the 
wilderness  of  darkness.     When  these  two  characters  lie  down 


SCIENCE,  LIFE  DEATH  401 

together,  they  are  received  into  society  according  to  their 
worth  or  talent.  For  money  is  not  wisdom.  So  the  rich 
man  of  this  workl  may  be  the  beggar  of  the  scientific,  while 
this  beggar  or  man  of  small  means  with  scientific  riches 
will  be  as  far  removed  from  his  neighbor  as  Dives  from 
Lazarus.  One  must  die  to  become  the  other.  See  the  man 
that  is  made  of  money  and  knows  nothing  but  his  money 
when  he  is  past  making  it.  He  is  feverish  and  all  he  thinks 
of  is  his  money.  This  is  his  happiness  and  some  one  is  all 
the  time  getting  it  away;  so  he  is  in  trouble,  while  the  man 
of  science  is  investigating  all  the  improvements  of  the  age 
and  becoming  acquainted  with  scientific  secrets.  Now  they 
both  lie  down  to  enjoy  their  riches.  The  miser  is 
all  the  time  nervous  and  frightened  about  his  money, 
while  the  scientific  man  is  travelling  on  the  interest 
of  his  capital;  and  if  an  expedition  is  fitted  out  for  some 
great  discovery,  where  his  science  is  wanted,  he  receives  an 
invitation  and  goes  and  enjoys  himself;  wliile  the  miser  is 
prowling  around  to  buy  some  secondhand  lock  to  put  on 
his  door  to  keep  out  robbers.  These  two  characters  may  go 
on  for  hundreds  of  years,  for  time  is  nothing  in  eternity. 
So  we  see  every  day  figures  of  change.  How  many  persons 
are  there  in  this  city  who  get  up  in  the  morning  and  pass 
the  day  without  gaining  enough  wisdom  to  last  them  till 
nine  o'clock?  But  you  will  see  them  up  in  the  morning 
before  day  looking  around  to  find  some  hole  to  creep  into 
to  get  a  drop  of  water  or  a  substance  to  moisten  their  tongue, 
for  they  are  tormented  by  an  appetite  for  this  world's 
goods.  So  their  life  is  one  continual  state  of  excitement, 
always  opposing  everything  that  enlightens  men's  minds  and 
elevates  character.  Such  a  man  is  dead  to  the  world  of 
Science,  whether  he  is  on  top  of  the  ground  or  under- 
neath, while  the  man  of  Science  is  alive  whether  on  the 
earth  or  in  it.  They  both  lie  down  in  their  own  sepulchre. 
If  one  is  made  of  opinions,  he  must  take  it.  If  the  other 
is  science,  he  will  be  in  it.  So  while  one  is  progressing, 
the  other  is  looking  on.  They  are  both  rewarded  for  their 
acts. 


What  is  the  true  definition  of  death  ?  Death  is  the  name 
of  an  idea;  an  idea  is  matter,  so  that  the  destruction  of  an 
idea  is  death.     Everj^  opinion  has  its  center,  and  its  center 


403  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

is  the  idea.  Now  if  a  person  believes  in  anything  that  is 
founded  on  an  opinion  the  idea  is  in  the  opinion,  and  the 
senses  being  also  in  the  opinion  are  attached  to  the  idea. 
This  imprisons  the  senses  in  the  opinion.  Now  the  idea  is 
of  itself  nothing  but  an  opinion  condensed  into  a  solid  and 
called  matter  and  every  word  goes  to  make  the  idea.  So 
to  make  an  idea  men  reason  about  something  they  have  no 
proof  of  only  as  an  opinion.  So  they  build  their  building 
and  in  the  center  is  the  idea,  and  if  they  succeed  in  establish- 
ing their  opinion  they  imprison  their  opponent  and  the  misery 
is  what  flows  from  the  idea. 

I  will  illustrate.  Take  the  word  "consumption."  This 
word  is  of  itself  nothing  to  the  person  who  never  heard  of 
it.  To  make  it  is  to  create  the  opinion  or  building  and  then 
reduce  it  to  an  idea.  So  matter  in  the  form  of  words  is  so 
arranged  as  to  make  the  idea  in  the  opinion.  While  the 
opinion  is  forming  in  the  mind  a  chemical  change  is  going 
on,  and  the  matter  is  held  in  solution  till  it  is  condensed 
into  a  form  according  to  the  pattern  given  by  the  direction 
of  mind,  and  after  the  opinion  is  fairly  established  in  the 
mind  and  the  person  in  the  idea  which  is  in  the  center,  the 
senses  are  attached  to  the  idea  and  become  part  of  it.  Now 
to  separate  the  senses  from  the  idea  is  death  to  the  idea, 
but  life  to  the  senses.  This  separation  called  death  is  only 
death  to  the  one  idea. 

Man  is  always  dying  and  living  in  progression,  for  error  or 
opinion  must  always  be  in  the  mind  and  mind  must  always 
exist  till  time  is  no  more.  Man  is  made  of  science  and  ignor- 
ance, or  life  and  death.  Man,  seen  by  the  senses  is  the 
center  of  our  belief,  and  the  senses  are  attached  to  the  idea 
called  man,  so  the  idea  "man"  varies  as  much  as  one  star 
differs  from  another.  .  .  . 

The  animal  is  content  to  be  Just  as  he  is,  and  seeks  no 
wisdom  above  his  kind;  he  lives  the  animal  and  when  his 
identity  is  destroyed  he  is  forgotten  by  his  race,  but  this  is 
only  my  opinion.  But  the  animal  that  is  dead  to  the  living 
is  as  mi.ch  alive  in  the  higher  state  of  matter  or  mind  as 
the  man  who  loses  his  idea.  Each  retains  his  own  identity, 
but  man  is  progressive  and  the  beast  is  the  same  forever. 
The  beast  has  but  one  rotation  of  life  and  death,  but  man 
lives  all  his  life  subject  to  death.  So  although  he  destroys 
one    idea    called    death,    he    is    liable    to    die    again    and 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  403 

again  to  the  end  of  time  unless  his  wisdom  destroys 
death  by  the  Science  of  Life.  The  last  enemy  is 
death,  so  the  scientific  man  or  idea  shall  reign  till  all 
error  is  destroyed.  All  identities  called  man  are  not  the 
same.  There  is  the  well  identity  of  man,  the  lame,  the  sick, 
the  deaf,  the  dumb,  and  so  on.  All  men  are  liable  to  have 
a  combination  of  all  these  identities.  For  instance,  a  well 
man  or  child  is  an  identity.  Now  it  changes  to  a  sick  iden- 
tity, so  the  well  identity  is  destroyed,  and  the  child's  senses 
are  attached  to  the  identity  of  a  disease.  The  Science  of  Life 
is  to  know  how  to  keep  man  from  getting  into  death  or  error. 
This  is  my  theory;  to  put  man  in  possession  of  a  Science  that 
will  destroy  the  ideas  of  the  sick  and  teach  man  one  living 
progression  [development]  of  his  own  identity,  with  life  free 
from  error  and  disease.  Now  as  man  passes  through  these 
combinations,  they  differ  one  from  another.  So  it  will 
be  in  the  resurrection  (of  the  dead),  to  life,  freed  from 
false  ideas  and  in  truth.  Suppose  a  man  could  be  so  wise  as 
to  know  every  sensation  that  alfects  his  senses.  He  could 
never  change,  so  he  would  be  always  the  same.  Now  take 
another  who  believes  in  all  the  opinions  of  man,  and  he  is 
dying  and  living  all  the  time,  dying  to  error  and  living  to 
truth,  till  he  dies  the  death  of  all  his  opinions  or  beliefs. 
Therefore  to  be  free  from  death  is  to  be  alive  in  Truth,  for 
sin  or  error  is  death  and  Science  is  eternal  life,  and  this  life 
is  in  Christ. 


I  said  that  every  opinion  had  a  center,  and  this  center  was 
an  idea.  I  will  try  to  make  this  more  plain,  for  it  is  the 
center  or  foundation  on  which  all  error  rests.  Destroy  this 
and  disease  is  out  of  the  mind,  for  this  central  idea  is  the 
fortress  error  erects  to  keep  the  subject  in  submission.  As 
wisdom  is  its  enemy,  it  keeps  up  a  constant  cannonading  to 
frighten  wisdom  into  subjection.  This  idea  is  built  by  pub- 
lic opinion,  got  up  by  demagogues  or  doctors  and  priests, 
its  father  or  founder  was  a  liar,  its  foundation  is  ignorance 
and  superstition ;  its  reign  is  tyranny  and  slavery  to  wisdom, 
its  victims  are  ignorance.  This  kingdom  of  darkness  is  the 
error  of  man,  every  man's  mind  is  subject  to  this  prince 
of  darkness,  its  power  is  in  its  popularity;  its  laws  are 
arbitrary  and  binding  on  all ;  it  knows  no  mercy ;  its  chief 
end  is  the  destruction  of  man's  happiness.  For  that  purpose 
it  holds  out  large  rewards,  as  it  did  to  Jesus,  to  those  who 


404  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

will  enter  its  service.  Its  honesty  is  hypocrisy,  and  in  fact 
its  whole  aim  is  slavery  and  power.  What  classes  does  it 
embrace?  It  embraces  every  opinion  of  man.  Ignorance 
is  the  foundation,  destruction  to  freedom  or  Science  is  its 
chief  end,  so  its  leaders  invent  all  sorts  of  falsehoods  and 
bind  them  on  the  people,  or  matter,  which  is  liable  to  be 
changed  or  moulded  into  their  belief.  Every  inducement 
is  held  out  to  persuade  the  senses  to  become  interested  in 
their  idea  or  opinion.  Now  an  opinion  is  like  a  city  or  town 
that  has  its  center  or  laws.  So  as  man's  senses  are  traveling, 
like  the  man  going  down  to  Jericho,  who  fell  among  thieves, 
he  listens  to  these  false  leaders  and  hears  of  some  idea  like  a 
place.  It  is  described  to  him  by  some  doctor  or  priest  in 
an  earnest  manner;  this  excites  the  mind,  curiosity  is 
aroused,  the  senses  leave  their  home  or  father's  house  like 
the  prodigal  son,  and  wander  away  into  this  place  or  state; 
here  he  is  accused  of  being  a  stranger  and  is  cast  into  the 
belief.  The  belief  is  a  prison,  the  idea  is  the  laws,  and  if  he 
chances  to  hear  of  diphtheria,  he  believes  it  is  as  much  a  place 
as  Boston ;  so  if  he  chances  to  go  near  the  place  and  happens 
to  feel  a  soreness  in  the  throat,  he  is  accused,  and  if  he  ac- 
knowledges that  he  has  it,  his  acknowledgment  becomes 
a  belief,  this  places  him  in  the  prison  and  the  sentence  being 
passed,  punishment  commences.  The  prison  or  belief  em- 
braces all  persons  who  have  transgressed  the  laws  of  diph- 
theria. So  every  opinion  is  a  prison  or  place,  to  hold  the  per- 
son that  believes  it,  and  man's  senses  may  have  as  many  in- 
dictments against  him  as  he  has  opinions.  So  Science  or 
Christ  enters  the  cities  or  towns,  and  pleads  the  case  of  the 
senses  that  are  impriseoned,  and  if  he  gets  the  case,  the  pris- 
oner is  set  at  liberty,  or  the  senses  detached  from  the  idea, 
and  the  error  in  the  mind  explained.  Then  the  prisoner  or 
senses  rises  from  the  place  of  torment  into  the  kingdom  of 
health.  Its  boundaries  are  opinions,  its  subjects  are  supersti- 
tions, and  its  laws  are  for  the  destruction  of  science.  To  de- 
stroy this  kingdom  is  to  introduce  Science,  is  that  the  warfare 
is  endless,  for  neither  party  will  yield,  no  compromise  is  en- 
tered into  by  Science,  but  as  the  kingdom  is  divided  against 
itself  it  cannot  stand.  Now  as  these  two  parties  are  in  one  man, 
it  may  be  necessary  to  define  their  tactics  and  show  how  the 
senses  may  keep  clear  of  both.  One  party  assumes  an  idea 
and  uses  all  their  cunning  to  make  it  admitted  by  the  senses, 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  405 

so  when  that  is  established,  then  commences  the  argument. 
The  opposite  side  being  more  ignorant,  but  more  honest, 
admits  the  idea  but  tries  to  destroy  it.  Here  is  an  illus- 
tration;  the  children  of  the  kingdom  assert  that  sin  is  of 
divine  origin,  so  the  opposite  acknowledge  it  and  then  try 
to  reason  it  out  of  existence.  They  say  that  Adam's  sin  was 
the  cause  of  all  sin.  Admitting  it,  then  they  try  to  show  how 
inconsistent  it  is.  They  say  sin  is  death ;  when  admitted 
it  becomes  a  law,  so  they  go  on  assuming  anything,  and  the 
other  side  admit,  then  argue  about  it,  so  that  the  kingdom 
of  Science  is  not  known  in  all  their  reason.  Science  has 
battled  down  the  walls  of  error  and  established  liberty  or 
truth  in  mucli  of  their  kingdom.  It  has  hewn  down  the 
trees  of  superstition  and  established  the  science  of  mathe- 
matics. It  has  struck  at  the  Science  of  Health,  this  is  an 
unbroken  wilderness  never  entered  by  man.  Ever  since  the 
days  of  Moses  there  have  been  adventurers,  but  none  has 
as  yet  planted  the  standard  of  life  with  such  an  inscription, 
"the  Science  of  Life  is  in  the  wilderness."  Jesus  tried  to 
do  it  but  was  crucified,  Paul  and  all  of  his  disciples  also 
tried,  but  no  one  has  ever  yet  been  able  to  penetrate  this 
dark  wilderness  and  raise  the  standard  and  sustain  it.  .  .  . 
As  I  explained  but  one  side  of  the  question  I  will  now 
give  the  other  which  is  life.  I  showed  that  death  is  opposed 
to  life.  I  did  not  use  that  term,  but  you  will  see  that  is 
what  I  mean.  Now  death  is  life  to  the  natural  man  as  much 
as  error  is.  Truth  and  error  have  their  kingdom,  and  our 
senses  are  in  one  or  the  other  according  to  our  acts.  I  gave 
an  explanation  of  the  natural  man  or  error  which  is  matter 
and  showed  that  all  our  misery  is  in  our  ignorance  of  the 
other  kingdom  called  life  or  Science.  This  Kingdom  is 
that  spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures,  which  was  hewn  out  and 
came  down  to  earth  or  the  natural  man,  and  became  embedded 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people.  This  was  the  stone  or  Science 
that  the  builders  of  error  rejected  which  has  been  the  head 
or  foundation  of  the  new  Science  of  Life,  and  on  whomsoever 
it  shall  fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  powder.  This  child  was 
the  one  without  father  or  mother.  It  had  no  beginning  of 
days  nor  ending  of  years,  but  it  is  from  everlasting  to  ever- 
lasting. It  was  the  rock  that  followed  Moses  in  the  wilderness 
of  superstition.  It  is  progress,  it  knows  no  evil.  It  is 
a  consuming  fire,  that  will  rage  till  it  burns  up  every  self- 


406  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

ish  idea.  It  is  never  found  boasting  of  its  wisdom;  it  is  not 
puffed  up,  it  sits  and  sees  itself  swell  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people,  but  they  see  it  not.  Their  minds  are  now  seeing  the 
light  that  is  going  before  them ;  they  are  afraid,  so  that  even 
the  kingdom  of  darkness  is  in  rebellion  against  itself.  The 
leaders  begin  to  tremble,  for  they  see  that  the  angel  of 
Science  has  sounded  his  trumpet,  the  earth  or  matter  is 
moved  out  of  its  place,  the  stars  or  parties  are  falling,  and 
the  powers  of  the  kingdom  are  shaken. 

The  spears  of  superstition  have  been  beaten  into  plough- 
shares. Science  has  ploughed  up  all  the  stubble  and  burnt 
up  the  rubbish,  the  fields  of  life  are  bringing  forth  flowers  of 
happiness,  the  streams  of  blood  have  turned  into  living 
waters.  The  birds  of  wisdom  are  sounding  their  notes  of 
peace,  and  all  the  people  rejoice.  The  old  beliefs  are  passed 
away,  and  a  new  belief  or  heaven  is  established  in  the  hearts 
of  men  where  all  beliefs  shall  be  tested  by  Science  and  the 
wicked  or  error  shall  be  destroyed.  Wisdom  aims  at  opinions, 
its  march  is  progress.  It  knows  no  fear,  its  qualities  are 
love.  It  neither  turns  to  the  right  nor  to  the  left.  It  is 
death  to  error,  when  error  undertakes  to  retard  its  progress, 
it  seeks  not  its  own  kingdom  or  happiness  but  works  on 
earth  or  in  man  for  his  happiness.  Its  aim  is  to  establish 
wisdom  in  man,  and  as  it  is  a  Science,  its  identity  is  eternal 
life  or  progress.  For  this  cause  it  leaves  father  and  mother 
or  error  and  ignorance,  goes  into  the  kingdom  of  darkness, 
and  seeks  out  the  sick  ideas  which  are  prisons,  wherein  are 
the  children  of  Science  who  have  been  deceived  by  blind 
guides.  It  enters  the  prison  or  belief,  unknown  to  the  keeper ; 
for  wisdom  can  not  be  seen  by  error,  and  error  or  matter  is  no 
obstacle  to  wisdom.  It  pleads  in  the  prison  with  the  captive, 
reasons  and  teaches  the  Science  of  Happiness,  and  protects 
the  prisoner  from  its  enemies  in  the  wilderness  of  darkness. 

THOUGHTS 

If  these  principles  are  true,  there  is  no  good  in  dying, 
for  that  does  not  change  us  at  all.  We  are  just  what  we 
were  before.  If  we  have  any  ideas  which  make  us  unhappy 
we  still  have  them.  Our  influences  are  changed,  it  is  true, 
for  our  friends  believe  us  to  be  dead  and  away  from  all 
communication  with  them.  So  we  stand  a  chance  to  be 
changed.  But  that  we  get  rid  of  all  sickness  and  sorrow 
when  we  shuffle  off  this  mortal  coil  is  a  mistaken  idea. 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  407 

If  mind  is  spiritual  matter,  and  all  effects  in  the  natural 
world  have  their  cause  in  the  spiritual  world,  it  is  evident 
that  heat  and  cold,  food,  in  short  all  those  things  which 
are  addressed  to  the  outward  senses,  as  we  call  them,  must 
first  gain  access  to  us  through  other  means  than  are  appar- 
ent. 

The  first  mistake  is  in  locating  the  senses  in  the  body,  when 
they  really  exist  entirely  independent  of  it.  But  "according 
as  a  man  thinketh,  so  is  he,''  and  if  we  believe  that  taste  is 
in  the  tongue,  hearing  in  the  ear,  sight  in  the  eye,  and 
feeling  in  the  nerves  of  the  surface,  etc.,  we  must  be  affected 
according  to  our  belief. 

Our  spiritual  senses  are  often  more  acute  and  sensitive 
than  the  natural  ones. 

Is  experience  wisdom?  Certainly  not.  Experience  is  the 
construction  which  we  put  upon  any  event  whicli  occurs  in 
our  life.  For  instance,  the  death  of  a  friend :  one  person 
may  draw  one  experience  from  it,  and  another,  another. 
When  Science  proves  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  death, 
all  the  various  experiences  which  are  the  result  of  belief  in 
the  idea  are  anniliilated. 

Jesus,  when  he  appeared  after  the  crucifixion,  had  con- 
densed His  spiritual  self  so  that  it  could  be  seen  by  the 
natural  eyes,  and  He  did  it  scientifically. 

I  use  words  merely  for  convenience  which  I  say  are  wrong. 
For  example,  "death."  The  time  will  come  when  such 
words  will  be  obsolete.  They  will  not  be  used  when  there  is 
Jcnowledge. 

If  we  become  acquainted  with  each  other  spiritually, 
where  is  the  need  of  the  natural  senses,  and  how  can  we  ever 
be  separated? 

Our  next  world  is  here  where  we  are  and  always  must  be. 
This  teaches  us  to  do  to  others  as  we  would  have  others  do  to 
us,  because  wo  are  all  a  part  of  each  other.  When  we  injure 
one  part  the  whole  feels  it. 

Destroy  the  man  of  opinions  and  Christ  lives  in  the 
flesh. 

Man  is  just  as  large  as  he  is  wise  in  Science. 

Man  is  a  complete  image  of  the  God  he  ought  to  wor- 
ship. 

This  which  I  put  in  practice  I  call  Christ  acting  through 
the  man  Quimby. 


408  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

As  Science  is  of  light,  it  makes  no  shadow,  but  like  the 
rising  sun  burns  up  the  darkness  or  error. 

God,  not  being  matter,  has  no  matter  only  as  an  idea. 
So  matter  to  God  or  Science  is  a  medium  of  communication 
with  the  natural  man  in  his  own  language  or  semblance. 

Every  man  is  a  part  of  God  just  so  far  as  he  is  Wisdom. 

To  cure  an  error  intelligently  is  to  know  how  to  produce  it. 

The  idea  that  matter  and  mind  make  the  man  prevents 
man  from  understanding  himself. 

Jesus  had  no  religious  opinions;  His  works  were  in  His 
life,  and  His  life  was  His  Christ  or  theory.  His  natural  man 
had  become  subject  to  His  scientific  man  or  Wisdom. 

Death  is  the  name  of  something  error  wants  to  destroy, 
and  this  something  is  life.  So  the  warfare  is  between  life 
and  death.  Life  cannot  be  destroyed  but  death  can.  Man  is 
the  battlefield  of  these  two,  life  and  death. 

There  never  was  a  man  who  could  translate  the  original 
language  of  God,  for  He  never  spoke  at  all.  So  we  must 
listen  to  the  sound  of  God's  voice,  not  in  the  language  of  any 
person,  for  God  speaks  in  that  still  small  voice  of  sympathy 
which  says  to  the  poor  sick,  "Be  of  good  cheer,  your  sins  or 
errors  will  be  explained,  and  your  soul  set  at  liberty." 

If  God  spoke  [to  Moses]  it  must  have  been  in  the  common 
language  of  the  day.  So  man  must  have  invented  language 
before  God  could  communicate  with  him.  This  God  keeps 
up  with  the  times,  and  every  now  and  then  man  finds  out  that 
God  was  mistaken  about  certain  passages  in  the  Bible. 

The  beast  has  five  senses,  and  a  great  many  human  beings 
have  not  half  so  many. 

We  are  afl'ected  according  to  the  fear  we  associate  with 
our  senses. 

Death  and  disease  are  matter,  and  when  the  senses  are 
attached  to  the  body  we  become  subject  to  the  laws  of 
matter. 

Here  is  the  theory  of  my  religion:  My  God  is  wisdom, 
and  all  wisdom  is  of  God;  where  there  is  no  wisdom  there  is 
no  God.  God  is  not  matter,  and  matter  is  only  an  idea 
that  fills  no  space  in  Wisdom,  and  as  Wisdom  fills  all  space, 
all  ideas  are  in  Wisdom.  To  make  creation  larger  than  the 
Creator  is  absurd  to  me.  The  Christian  God  is  in  every- 
thing; my  God  is  in  nothing,  but  everything  is  in  Him. 

Attach  all  sight,  smell,  and  all  the  senses  to  Wisdom,  then 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  409 

they  fill  all  space;  everything  to  which  we  attach  wisdom, 
and  all  inanimate  substances  are  in  this  Wisdom. 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  reality  with  God  except  Him- 
self. He  is  all  Wisdom  and  nothing  else.  All  other  things 
having  form  are  things  of  His  creation.  His  life  is  attached 
to  all  that  we  call  life. 

God  is  the  embodiment  of  light  or  clairvoyance,  and  to 
His  light  all  is  a  mere  nothing.  When  He  spoke  man  into 
existence  His  wisdom  breathed  into  the  shadow  and  it  received 
life.  So  the  shadowed  life  is  in  God,  for  in  this  light  it 
moves  and  has  its  being,  and  it  becomes  the  son  of  God. 

As  Jesus  became  clairvoyant  He  became  the  son  of  God, 
and  a  part  of  God.  He  said,  Although  you  destroy  this 
temple  (or  thought)  I,  that  is,  this  clairvoyant  self,  can 
speak  into  existence  another  like  the  one  you  believe  you 
have  destroyed.  Jesus  attached  His  senses  as  a  man  to  this 
light  or  Wisdom,  and  the  rest  of  the  world  attached  theirs 
to  the  thought  of  darkness  or  the  natural  man. 

Every  man  is  a  representative  of  the  natural  and  spiritual 
worlds  as  taught  in  the  religion  of  Jesus  and  illustrated  in 
His  life  and  death.  The  natural  world  spoken  of  by  Jesus 
is  man's  belief,  and  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  is  the  spirit- 
ual world;  and  as  opinions  and  error  die  truth  and  science 
rise  from  the  dead. 

Like  other  men,  Jesus  bore  the  image  of  opinions,  but 
He  also  bore  the  image  of  God  or  Science. 

When  Jesus  cured  the  sick  He  saved  them  from  the 
other  world  into  which  the  priests  were  forcing  them. 

Christ  is  that  unseen  principle  in  man  of  which  man  is 
conscious,  but  which  he  has  never  considered  as  intelli- 
gence. It  is  God  in  us,  and  when  man  comes  to  recognize 
it  as  intelligence  transcending  belief  and  learns  its  principles, 
then  death  will  be  swallowed  up  in  Wisdom. 

A  river  has  its  bed  into  which  little  streams  flow  to  supply 
it.  So  man  has  an  intellect  which  is  sustained  by  various 
streams  from  the  fountain  of  Wisdom.  The  banks  take  the 
name  of  the  river  as  a  man's  name  is  affixed  to  his  bodily 
form,  but  both  man  and  river  existed  before  they  were  named. 
.  .  .  Man's  wisdom  exists  and  when  it  is  discovered  it  is 
named,  and  the  name  is  of  man.  The  water  of  the  river  is 
like  the  mind,  both  are  continually  changing  .  .  .  and  the 
mind  seeks  the  heights  of  Wisdom  that  it  may  draw  others  to 


410  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

it.  Suppose  every  particle  of  water  to  have  an  identity  of 
intelligence;  its  continual  motion  does  not  destroy  its  iden- 
tity; it  is  water  alike  in  the  stream,  the  lake,  tlie  river  and  the 
sea;  and  when  it  is  taken  into  the  earth  and  replenished 
it  is  water  still.  So  man's  intellect  has  its  identity  whether 
in  one  condition  or  another,  and  the  body  is  to  the  intellect 
what  the  banks  of  the  river  are  to  the  water:  an  identity 
to  signify  that  water  can  be  condensed  into  a  form. 

Wisdom  outside  of  matter  is  not  recognized,  but  when  it 
is  reduced  so  that  its  effects  can  be  seen  it  is  acknowledged, 
though  not  separated  from  matter.  The  banks  are  gen- 
erally admitted  to  be  the  river,  and  when  there  is  no  water  in 
the  bed  we  say  it  is  dead.  Now  the  water  is  as  much  alive 
as  ever,  and  it  retains  its  identity,  but  man's  name  is  de- 
stroyed. In  the  same  way  God  in  man  is  not  recognized 
except  in  the  body,  and  when  man  sees  the  wisdom  depart, 
to  him  the  man  is  dead. 

Intellect,  like  water,  is  always  flowing  and  cutting  new 
channels,  and  each  new  channel  is  like  the  birth  of  a  child: 
it  receives  a  name  but  retains  that  of  its  father. 

Man  in  his  wisdom  gives  life  to  his  own  name,  and  when 
his  idea  is  destroyed  the  life  seems  to  be  dead.  Man  puts 
wisdom  in  the  water  and  not  in  the  principle,  so  when 
matter  is  destroyed  the  principle  appears  to  be  dead.  But 
man's  wisdom  is  not  of  God.  God's  wisdom  is  not  in  matter 
but  outside  of  it  and  through  it,  as  the  identity  of  water  is 
distinct  from  a  particular  valley.  It  may  be  said  that  this 
is  what  all  men  believe,  but  actions  show  that  our  wisdom 
is  placed  in  the  natural  man  or  matter.  Man  has  no  idea 
of  wisdom  identified  with  anything  but  his  o^vn  belief. 
But  if  God  or  Wisdom  is  the  First  Cause  everything  that 
is  seen  is  only  a  representation  of  Wisdom  developed  into  form. 
Therefore  all  identities  of  man  and  beast  exist  with  the 
Father.  .  .  .  When  a  form  is  seen  the  world  says  it  is  in 
existence,  but  it  existed  before  Wisdom  brought  it  to  man 
to  name.  Thus  everything  exists  with  God  and  man  names 
it.  But  Wisdom  has  already  given  it  a  name  which  man  does 
not  recognize,  and.  by  that  name  it  will  always  exist  and 
recognize  itself. 

My  body  sits  and  writes,  and  all  that  can  be  seen  is 
myself  and  it  is  my  opinion.  But  the  Wisdom  that  knows 
what  I  say  as  a  man  is  not  an  opinion.  .  .  .     There  cannot  be 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  411 

an  identity  without  intelligence,  therefore  man's  identity 
is  not  in  what  we  see,  but  in  the  Wisdom  which  cannot  be 
seen,  and  only  shows  itself  through  some  medium  of 
expression.  .  .  .  Look  beyond  the  body  for  the  created  being 
which  is  prior  to  intelligence. 

We  speak  of  an  intelligent,  scientific  or  patriotic  man  as 
if  all  intelligence,  science  or  patriotism  died  with  him.  What 
are  all  these  when  he  dies?  Do  they  emanate  from  his  ma- 
terial organism,  and  die  with  it?  In  short,  are  wisdom  and 
progress  the  developments  of  matter? 

Man  lives  and  acts  in  an  element  different  from  matter, 
the  universal  nature  of  man  can  be  traced  to  a  different 
principle  than  that  which  would  have  him;  a  transitory  being. 
What  element  is  that  which  is  not  matter  yet  in  which  man 
lives  and  acts?  It  is  impossible  to  describe  it  in  one  word 
or  in  a  few  words,  but  it  may  be  illustrated  by  facts  that  are 
known  by  all. 

A  child  knows  its  mother,  not  by  looks  or  voice,  but  by 
something  not  included  within  these  two  senses:  it  is  that 
something  that  makes  her  different  in  her  relation  to  the 
child  from  any  other  woman.  Suppose  it  be  called  love, 
or  a  desire  for  the  child's  happiness  identified  with  her  own. 
According  as  she  directs  the  child  in  the  pure  intelligence 
of  that  love  or  yields  her  feelings  to  knowledge  derived  from  a 
source  which  does  not  contain  that  love,  so  shall  the  fruits  be. 
This  love  contains  an  intelligence  which  if  followed  in  spirit 
and  truth  might  destroy  every  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the 
child's  happiness,  and  develop  it  into  a  self-governing  re- 
sponsible being.  Then  why  is  it  not  so?  Because  from  our 
religious  and  social  education  no  woman  can  carry  out  the 
high  principle  of  her  affection.  She  is  taught  by  established 
morality  to  put  restrictions  on  the  child  that  would  make  her 
miserable  in  the  child's  place. 

All  feelings  and  thoughts  have  an  origin  and  can  be  re- 
ferred to  their  causes  as  certainly  as  actions  can  be  proved 
the  result  of  a  certain  state  of  mind.  The  spiritual  man  has  a 
knowledge  of  these  causes  and  knows  what  every  sensation  is 
good  for,  where  it  springs  from,  what  its  effect  would  be  if 
not  corrected  before  it  condenses  into  a  belief. 

It  seems  strange  to  the  well  why  I  do  not  cure  every  one 
who  comes  to  me  as  easily  as  I  do  some.  The  reasons  are 
plain  to  me  and  I  can  explain  them  to  the  sick,  but  to  the 


413  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

well  it  is  a  mystery  from  the  fact  that  they  are  under  an 
influence  that  is  adverse  to  the  sick.  The  well  have  no 
sympathy  with  the  sick,  and  every  dollar  they  pay  comes 
as  hard  as  though  they  had  contributed  to  some  charitable 
object  which  they  took  no  interest  in  but  from  fear  of 
being  called  mean  they  would  subscribe  a  small  sum.  When 
a  sick  person  is  brought  to  me  the  real  person  is  not  known 
in  the  controversy,  but  the  error  or  person  that  brings  him. 
So  I  have  to  address  myself  to  that  character  called  by  the 
world  our  natural  man,  but  the  victim  is  not  known  and  has 
nothing  to  say.  Every  case  is  a  variation  of  these  feelings, 
and  I  know  the  difficulty  I  have  to  contend  with,  while  the 
well  do  not  understand. 

I  divide  man  into  two  characters.  One  governs  by  selfish- 
ness and  the  other  by  sympathy,  and  man's  senses  are  attached 
to  one  or  the  other  of  these  elements.  .  .  .  Every  combina- 
tion that  leads  to  disease  is  like  the  little  streams  that  run 
into  the  ocean  of  death.  As  all  men  live  and  move  in  their 
belief,  their  belief  is  like  a  house  or  barque  either  in  the  ocean 
of  death  or  the  rivers  that  enter  into  it.  Men  find  it  hard 
to  stem  the  current  when  the  tide  of  public  opinion  is  running 
so  fast  that  they  are  in  danger  of  being  driven  on  the 
Tocks.  The  pilots  who  are  waiting  toi  get  a  call  are  found 
to  be  under  the  pay  of  the  master  of  the  seas,  the  devil. 
So  the  streams  and  rivers  are  filled  up  with  false  lights  to 
deceive  the  mariners  while  sailing  on  a  voyage  of  discovery. 
This  may  seem  strange  to  the  well,  but  I  can  make  it  plain 
to  the  sick. 

Fashion  and  pride  cover  a  multitude  of  sins.  I  do  not 
like  to  blame  the  well,  but  we  are  so  constituted  as  to  bok 
upon  disease  as  an  evil  and  the  sick  as  afflicted  that  we  can- 
not help  being  affected  by  these  opinions.  .  .  .  The  Chris- 
tian has  no  sympathy  with  his  neighbor's  children  if  they 
do  not  walk  up  to  the  mark,  while  his  own  children  are 
provided  with  a  seat  in  heaven  because  he  is  a  pious  man.  .  .  . 

People  do  not  stand  in  relation  to  each  other  as  they 
should,  owing  in  a  great  measure  to  our  religion. 

Money,  it  is  said,  is  the  root  of  all  evil,  but  this  is  not 
the  case:  pride  and  selfishness  and  love  of  power  are  the 
evils;  this  creates  the  desire  for  money. 

Spiritual  wisdom  is  always  shadowed  forth  by  some  earthly 
or  literal  figure.     Thus  the  Bible  is  spiritual  truth  illustrated 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  413 

by  literal  things,  but  religious  people  follow  the  shadow  or 
literal  explanation  and  know  nothing  of  the  true  meaning. 

When  God  said  "Let  us  create  man  in  our  own  image," 
it  means  Wisdom  created  man  in  the  image  of  Truth, 
When  He  formed  man  or  matter,  that  was  the  medium  for  this 
image  to  have  and  control,  like  all  other  living  things  that 
He  made  out  of  matter. 

What  is  there  that  all  will  admit  as  existing  independently 
of  matter?  Take  the  senses  of  man  and  see  if  there  is  any 
matter  in  them.  All  will  admit  that  God  is  not  matter. 
No  one  will  say  that  sight  is  matter,  for  God  sees  all  things. 
His  sight  penetrates  the  darkest  places,  and  not  a  thing 
can  be  hidden  from  His  sight.  So  it  is  with  all  the  [spirit- 
ual] senses  of  man,  and  there  is  no  matter  in  them.  A 
knowledge  of  these  senses  condensed  into  an  idea,  spoken 
into  existence  called  man  and  the  senses  attached  to  it — 
this  is  man  in  the  image  of  his  Kaker. 

Sympathy  annihilates  space.  Discord  makes  it.  Man  is 
in  one  and  Christ  in  the  other.  To  be  with  Christ  is  to  be 
in  harmony  with  his  wisdom,  and  this  Wisdom  will  keep  us 
from  the  evils  of  man's  opinion.  When  our  senses  are  attached 
to  Truth  we  are  heirs  of  Christ,  and  when  attached  to  error 
we  are  heirs  of  this  world.  The  Christ  is  to  separate  the 
error  from  the  truth,  for  truth  is  harmony  and  error  dis- 
cord. 

Man  reasons  in  this  was  about  the  body:  a  child  com- 
mences to  grow,  and  man  calls  the  growth  of  the  child  "life." 
When  the  child  has  reached  a  certain  maturity  the  body  begins 
to  decompose  and  die,  like  the  tree;  then  the  dust  returns 
to  the  dust  and  the  life  of  the  body  departs.  No  sueh  ideas 
as  these  come  from  Wisdom,  for  Wisdom  puts  life  in  the 
spiritual  senses:  if  we  attach  these  to  Wisdom,  our  life  is 
in  Wisdom,  and  as  that  never  dies  our  life  never  dies. 

Happiness  is  contentment,  not  life  or  death.  Misery  is 
discord,  not  Wisdom  but  error.  If  then  you  attach  your  life 
tx>  an  error,  like  distributing  life  to  the  body,  then  your 
life  is  unhappy  according  to  the  loss  or  disturbance. 

If  our  happiness  is  from  Wisdom  it  becomes  a  part  of 
ourselves,  but  if  it  is  from  a  belief  it  is  adopted  and  we  may 
lose  it. 

We  often  hear  people  say  that  their  religion  makes  them 
happy.     But  if  religion  is  anything  outside  of  ourselves  it 


414  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

contains  neither  happiness  nor  misery.  Can  any  person  define 
what  he  gets  except  that  it  is  a  belief?  A  belief  that  will 
make  one  person  happy  will  make  another  miserable. 

Look  at  any  religious  society  and  you  will  find  that  the 
individuals  cannot  agree  in  belief.  So  those  who  cannot 
agree  are  slaves  to  those  whose  authority  they  admit  as  their 
rulers. 

The  poor  soldier  who  fights  for  the  leaders  sinks  under 
the  burden  bound  upon  him.  To  keep  up  his  courage  the 
ofiicers  hold  out  the  idea  that  he  is  fighting  for  a  great  and 
good  cause,  and  a  crown  of  glory  in  heaven  awaits  those  who 
die  upon  the  battlefield.  This  is  all  the  happiness  the 
privates  get.  So  they  fight  to  keep  society  from  ruin  while 
their  reward  is  the  satisfaction  of  fighting  the  devil  and  sup- 
porting the  officers. 

Reverse  the  tables,  making  the  priest  the  soldier,  and  tax 
him  to  pay  the  former  soldier  for  his  instructions,  then  it 
would  be  shown  how  well  their  principle  of  action,  which 
they  preach  to  others,  applies  to  themselves. 

The  minds  of  individuals  mingle  like  atmospheres,  and 
every  person's  identity  exists  in  this  atmosphere.  The 
odor  ascends  and  contains  all  the  passions  and  feelings  of  the 
natural  man. 

Jesus  contended  that  He  understood  what  He  said  and  did, 
but  tliat  the  prejudices  of  the  people  were  so  strongly  in 
favor  of  His  having  a  "power"  that  they  could  not  under- 
stand when  He  tried  to  teach  them  that  His  acts  and  words 
proceeded  from  a  Wisdom  superior  to  their  belief,  and 
that  it  could  be  taught.  To  question  their  belief  was  to 
make  Himself  equal  with  God,  In  the  same  way  when  I 
say  that  I  know  how  I  cure,  people  say  I  blaspheme  and 
make  myself  equal  with  Christ.  They  do  not  know  how 
I  cure  and  dislike  to  admit  that  any  one  else  does.  Con- 
sequently they  strive  to  make  my  explanation  as  objectionable 
as  possible. 

According  to  my  experience,  mind  in  solution  is  a  thing 
in  common,  which  all  admit  contains  life.  Each  person  has 
his  senses  in  this  life  or  mind,  as  a  globule  of  water  in  the 
ocean.  So  if  a  sensation  is  made  on  the  water  each  par- 
ticle is  affected,  and  each  person  may  locate  the  trouble  in 
himself.  For  instance,  when  the  idea  "consumption"  is 
called  up  man's  senses  see  the  image  in  this  mind.     Fear 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  415 

comes  and  the  reflection  is  thrown  on  the  idea-body.  .  .  . 
When  sitting  by  a  patient  I  feel  the  sensation  in  my  mind, 
and  immediately  a  figure  or  spirit  is  made  which  is  reflected 
as  an  impression  on  my  body.  Now,  if  I  were  not  aware  of 
the  cause  I  might  think  I  was  the  author  or  originator  of  this 
horrid  belief.  But  knowing  that  it  is  only  the  reflection 
from  my  patient's  mind,  the  idea  dies.  The  wisdom  that 
puts  me  in  possession  of  this  truth  is  Christ,  the  Wisdom 
above  my  patient.  By  this  wisdom  I  explain  the  fears  away 
and  destroy  the  torments,  and  this  process  is  a  science.  Is  it  a 
sin  to  know  this  and  teach  it  for  the  happiness  of  mankind, 
and  do  I  make  myself  equal  with  Christ?  If  I  do  then  I 
will  submit  to  the  odium  willingly. 

Ideas  are  as  separate  as  seeds.  An  apple  seed  will  not 
produce  a  pear,  neither  will  the  seed  or  idea  of  consump- 
tion produce  liver  complaint. 

To  know  that  you  exist  is  a  truth,  but  to  prove  that  you 
always  will  exist  is  a  science. 

The  matter  which  is  seen  is  the  condensation  of  the  matter 
not  seen,  and  the  unseen  matter  is  mind,  and  in  that  are 
all  our  beliefs,  opinions,  emotions,  etc.  When  the  mind  is 
disturbed  by  some  opinion,  or  unknown  fear,  it  must  take  a 
form  before  it  can  affect  the  body.  So  when  the  mind  is 
disturbed  the  disturbance  is  shown  in  the  body. 

The  Christ  or  Truth  can  walk  on  the  water  of  opinions  and 
know  that  it  is  no  part  of  itself. 

I  fitted  out  my  barque  some  twenty  years  ago  and  started 
without  chart  or  compass,  trusting  to  the  wisdom  of  my 
experience,  determined  to  be  guided  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
land  where  I  journeyed,  and  make  my  way  to  the  passage 
that  led  to  the  other  world,  or  to  a  new  world  on  this  globe. 
.  .  .  Sometimes  I  was  nearly  exhausted  and  on  the  point  of 
returning,  when  a  light  would  spring  up,  or  a  solitary  bird 
would  sing  its  beautiful  notes  from  the  clear  sky,  while 
from  this  light  came  a  mild  breath  of  pure  air  that  would 
revive  my  very  soul.  In  this  warmth  it  seemed  as  though 
I  heard  a  voice  say,  "Come  up  hither." 

The  earth  is  round  .  .  .  and  man  is  ambitious  to  ex- 
plain the  outside  and  also  the  inside  of  it.  So  explor- 
ing parties  are  fitted  out  to  discover  hidden  truths.  But  there 
is  a  different  class  of  minds  who  believe  there  is  another  world 
called  the   spiritual   or   scientific  world   which  is  as  much 


416  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

a  world  as  the  natural  world  and  which  contains  the  latter. 
So  the  people  are  all  inside  the  spiritual  world  together.  .  .  . 
The  scientific  contains  strata  of  scientific  wisdom  whence  all 
science  springs. 

When  this  came  to  light  that  all  I  had  been  doing  was  to 
burn  up  my  error  by  progressing  in  wisdom,  and  as  the 
light  of  science  sprang  up  in  my  mind  I  could  see  men 
walking  on  their  belief  as  I  was  walking  on  my  science,  I 
asked,  How  can  I  make  the  natural  man  understand  this? 
The  answer  came.  The  natural  man  is  not  of  the  world  of 
Science,  but  the  child  of  Science  is  in  the  world  of  error 
striving  to  escape  and  this  is  disease. 

Then  came  an  illustration  of  all  I  saw:  Man  as  we  see 
him  is  a  representation  of  the  earth;  his  internal  structure 
is  the  attraction  for  the  natural  man  to  explore,  the  surface 
of  his  body  is  where  he  looks  to  see  how  he  is  affected  by 
outward  sensations,  his  wisdom  sits  in  the  upper  chamber, 
called  his  brain,  and  in  the  majesty  of  his  knowledge  he 
gives  his  opinion  and  all  lesser  lights  bow  their  heads 
in  subjection  to  his  will.  This  kingdom  being  all  over  the 
world,  it  rules  its  subjects.  So  when  the  son  of  Science 
encounters  it,  a  decree  goes  forth  to  put  every  one  to  death. 

Science  is  light  and  the  wisdom  of  this  world  is  in  dark- 
ness, hence  it  does  not  see  the  light.  Therefore  Wisdom 
governs  the  natural  man,  although  t«  him  it  is  unknown. 
It  suggests  to  the  natural  man,  and  he  being  vain  and  dis- 
honest assumes  to  be  the  author  of  his  own  wisdom.  .  .  . 
Like  all  demagogues,  error  pretends  to  be  kind  to  the  poor, 
especially  when  its  life  depends  on  holding  wisdom  in  slavery. 
...  So  the  error  in  the  sick  brings  the  patient  to  me.  The 
Science  which  is  confined  in  bondage  knows  the  language  of 
Wisdom  and  secretly  tells  me  its  misery,  but  the  natural 
man  or  error  knows  it  not.  'WTien  I  tell  error  how  the  sick 
feel,  to  him  it  is  a  mystery;  for  error  is  matter  and  has  no 
feeling,  while  sympathy  is  the  language  of  the  sick.  "V\Tiile 
I  sit  by  the  sick  I  feel  their  pain,  which  is  the  grief  of  their 
wisdom;  this  is  outside  of  their  opinions  or  body,  and  my 
wisdom  being  outside  of  my  opinions,  I,  in  my  wisdom,  see 
their  belief,  but  their  errors  do  not  see  me,  therefore  to  them 
I  am  a  mystery. 

Suppose  a  patient  sits  by  my  side  who  has  the  idea  of  heart 
disease.     If  he  believes  it,  to  him  it  is  a  reality,  his  belief 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  417 

contains  the  substance  or  identity  of  a  man  with  heart  dis- 
ease. From  this  substance  goes  an  atmosphere,  and  in  it 
is  the  person.  His  body  is  to  his  mind  a  sort  of  mir- 
ror which  reflects  the  shadow  of  the  idea :  by  the  doctors 
this  is  called  disease.  I  see  the  original  idea  and  also  the 
shadow,  and  to  cure  the  disease  I  destroy  tlie  matter  by  ex- 
plaining the  error,  and  the  shadow  on  the  body  disappears. 

Language  is  used  in  two  senses.  The  natural  man  uses 
it  to  express  whatever  can  be  demonstrated.  This  embraces 
what  is  called  truth  by  the  learned.  But  the  feelings  of  the 
sick  and  wretched  cannot  be  described  by  one  who  cannot 
feel  them,  and  the  sick  are  at  the  mercy  of  those  who  cannot 
understand  their  feelings,  and  who  attempt  to  relieve  them 
of  something  they  have  no  sympathy  with.  Now  the  Bible 
is  written  to  convey  to  such  the  cause  of  their  trouble,  and 
the  New  Testament  applies  more  particularly  to  the  sick. 
The  language  which  Jesus  used  was  not  used  to  describe  any- 
thing that  could  be  seen,  or  understood  by  the  wisest  men 
of  the  day.  For  if  what  He  wished  to  explain  could  be  seen 
then  language  could  have  described  it. 

Sympathy  is  not  matter  but  is  what  is  troubled  by  matter. 
A  patient  has  feelings  which  cannot  be  felt  by  another  in 
his  natural  state,  and  which  cannot  be  described  by  the 
natural  man.  But  the  latter  without  any  knowledge  of  him- 
self names  a  feeling  and  undertakes  to  account  for 'it. 

To  understand  how  I  cure  is  to  see  yourself  outside  of 
the  natural  man  or  your  opinions,  with  all  your  senses  and 
reason ;  then  instead  of  the  essence  being  in  matter  [you  will 
see  that]  matter  is  in  the  essence.  It  is  often  said  that  God 
is  in  everything.  This  makes  God  lessi  than  the  thing  He  is 
in.  Now  make  God  the  essence  with  all  the  senses  attached 
to  it,  then  you  have  an  eternal  and  everlasting  Essence 
without  matter  or  [visible]  form,  a  point  without  magni- 
tude but  eternal.  Call  this  eternal  Wisdom  the  Father  of 
all  that  is  out  of  matter,  see  this  Wisdom  by  its  will  speak 
the  idea  matter  into  existence,  and  every  shape  and  form 
that  ever  was  or  will  be,  and  everything  that  man  calls 
life.  All  these  things  are  in  the  knowledge  of  this  Wis- 
dom, not  the  Wisdom  in  the  things  that  are  spoken. 

It  is  the  same  with  man.  His  wisdom  is  the  living  man. 
To  put  his  wisdom  into  his  body  or  natural  man  is  to  make 
an  opinion  greater  than  a  scientific  truth.     Disease  is  an 


418  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

opinion.  To  put  man's  wisdom  into  it  is  to  make  the  disease 
larger  than  the  real  man. 

It  is  a  common  remark  that  after  we  shake  off  this  mortal 
coil  the  spirit  will  he  set  free.  This  is  to  acknowledge  that 
the  body  is  larger  than  the  spirit  or  wisdom.  No  wonder  with 
such  a  belief  men  pray  to  be  delivered  from  the  body  of  sin 
and  death. 

Tiianks  to  this  wisdom  I,  my  wisdom,  can  see  myself  out- 
side this  earthly  belief  and  afloat  in  the  ocean  of  space,  where 
opinions  are  like  stones  and  pebbles  that  men  throw  at 
each  other,  wliile  to  me  they  have  no  weight  at  all.  All  these 
are  in  me,  that  is,  in  my  wisdom,  and  not  wisdom  in  them. 
I  stand  in  my  wisdom  to  the  sick  who  are  in  their  opinions 
trying  to  get  me  out,  and  the  harder  they  try  the  deeper 
they  go  into  the  mire.  So  Wisdom  pleads  their  case,  and 
if  I  get  their  case  then  opinion  is  destroyed  and  health  re- 
sumes its  sway.     If  you  understand  this  you  can  cure. 

All  that  is  seen  by  the  natural  man  is  mind  reduced  to  a 
state  called  matter. 

Man's  happiness  is  in  knowing  that  he  is  no  part  of  what 
can  be  seen  by  the  eye  of  opinion. 

This  world  is  the  shadow  of  Wisdom's  amusements. 

editor's  summary 

It  is  noticeable  that  Dr.  Quimby  holds  very  steadily  to  a 
few  great  ideas,  those  that  yield  a  vision  of  the  spiritual  life 
in  contrast  with  worldly  matters.  Thus  we  find  him  con- 
trasting Science  with  opinion,  the  spiritual  with  the  natural 
man,  and  the  spiritual  senses  with  bodily  sensibility.  He 
dwells  without  limit  upon  the  superstitions  to  which  the  race 
has  been  subjected  by  priests  and  the  bondages  which  are 
traceable  to  medical  opinion.  With  endless  repetition  he 
classifies  disease  as  an  "error  of  mind"  or  "invention  of  man," 
showing  how  sensations  or  pains  of  minor  import  have  been 
misinterpreted  so  as  to  generate  such  maladies  as  cancer  and 
consumption.  He  is  always  tracing  a  patient's  trouble  to 
the  particular  beliefs,  religious,  social,  medical,  which  have 
been  accepted  in  place  of  realities.  Thus  his  main  interest 
seems  to  be  to  disclose  the  power  of  adverse  suggestion,  fear, 
error,  ill-founded  belief.  His  thought  therefore  seems  to  lack 
scope.  He  seldom  takes  his  readers  into  the  larger  world 
of  social  problems.  He  draws  few  illustrations  from  history. 
Even  when  describing  the  inner  life  he  passes  by  such  sub- 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  419 

jects  as  poise,  composure,  serenity,  spontaneity,  and  interior 
self-control;  he  does  not  analyze  faith,  inward  guidance  or 
receptivity. 

Yet  amidst  this  apparent  narrowness  he  emphasizes  certain 
characteristics  which  he  believes  to  be  universally  verifiable, 
and  it  is  for  the  reader  to  see  their  scope.  Having  learned, 
for  example,  the  power  of  words  or  names,  when  associated 
with  painful  sensations  and  supported  by  medical  authority, 
he  passes  to  a  study  of  the  nature  and  origin  of  language; 
and  in  lengthy  articles  which  we  have  not  had  space  for  he 
contrasts  truth  and  error  so  as  to  show  the  difference  between 
language  as  a  human  invention  and  that  tongue  which  the 
spirit  speaks,  "the  language  of  sympathy"  understood  by 
those  who  know  the  meaning  of  the  "still,  small  voice."  Hav- 
ing seen  that  the  sick  are  slaves  to  those  who  pretend  to  heal 
them,  he  turns  to  African  slavery  and  discourses  at  length 
on  the  Civil  War,  then  in  full  progress,  taking  Lincoln  and 
Jefferson  Davis  as  types  of  men  prominent  in  the  struggle. 
So  too  he  writes  at  length  concerning  aristocracy  and  de- 
mocracy, and  discovers  in  all  human  society  the  same  typical 
forces  wliich  he  finds  in  the  inner  life.  Again,  his  knowl- 
edge of  the  inner  life  leads  him  to  write  on  government,  the 
standard  of  law,  the  origin  of  political  parties,  and  the  nature 
of  patriotism.  History  is  to  him  an  enlargement  of  the  con- 
flict taking  place  within.  Society  becomes  intelligible  when 
we  understand  the  forces  operating  upon  man. 

There  are  but  few  references  to  nature  as  the  subject  of 
study  of  the  special  sciences,  although  chemistry  and  mechan- 
ics sometimes  figure  by  way  of  illustration.  Pliysical  sub- 
stances are  usually  referred  to  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
effects  which  people  produce  upon  themselves  through  ad- 
verse suggestion,  as  in  the  case  of  medicines  and  poisons,  or 
food  associated  with  trouble-making  opinion.  But  this  is 
for  the  sake  of  acquainting  man  with  the  fact,  never  ade- 
quately recognized  till  Quimby's  time,  that  because  of  the 
dominance  of  beliefs  man  is  often  more  influenced  by  sug- 
gestion than  by  the  actual  qualities  of  foods,  drugs  and 
poisons.  Quimby  aims  to  show  that  through  acceptance  of 
prevalent  beliefs  man  often  lives  in  realms  of  shadows,  sub- 
ject to  his  own  fancies,  literally  creating  what  he  believes  in. 
Before  we  can  see  things  as  they  arc,  as  God  meant  them 
to  be,  we  must  learn  what  it  is  we  think  we  see.  The  natural 
world  is  beset  by  appearances.     The  natural  man  knows  noth- 


420  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

ing  as  he  ought  to  know.  What  we  need  is  a  wholly  different 
point  of  view.  Then,  in  possession  of  true  Science,  we  should 
be  able  to  found  the  special  sciences  on  Divine  wisdom. 

Matter  is  a  term  which  Quimby  uses  in  so  many  ways 
that  some  of  his  statements  are  scarcely  intelligible.  Matter 
is  what  appears  before  us  in  the  physical  world,  without 
intelligence,  inanimate;  it  can  be  condensed  into  a  solid  by 
mind-action,  undergoes  changes  as  the  result  of  mental 
changes  and  responses  in  "the  fluids"  of  the  S3^stem ;  it  is  the 
natural  man's  mind,  the  stuff  which  ideas  are  made  of,  "an 
idea  used  like  language  to  convey  some  wisdom  to  another," 
"the  shadow  of  our  wisdom,"  in  which  are  all  our  beliefs, 
opinions,  emotions;  and  so  as  "spiritual  matter"  or  sub- 
stance it  is  "an  idea  seen  or  not,  just  as  it  is  called  out," 
and  is  compared  to  a  belief  or  casket.  "Matter  which  is  seen 
is  the  condensation  of  the  matter  not  seen,  and  the  unseen 
matter  is  mind."  "God,  not  being  matter,  has  matter  only 
as  an  idea."  "God  is  not  matter,  and  matter  is  only  an  idea 
that  fills  no  space  in  Wisdom." 

What  is  meant  by  this  apparent  confusion  is  that  we  should 
disengage  our  thought  from  matter  altogether  at  times,  in 
order  to  look  upon  life  with  the  spiritual  eye.  If  by  the 
term  "mind"  you  mean  a  vague,  airy  something  without 
influence  on  the  body,  then  Quimby  shows  that  it  is  indeed 
substantial,  that  thoughts  are  things  which  take  shape  or 
condense  and  come  forth  in  bodily  manifestation.  If  by 
the  word  "spirit"  you  mean  anything  as  indefinite  as  spirit- 
ists believe  in,  he  points  out  that  spirit  too  is  substantial,  is 
alive,  not  "dead."  But  when  you  realize  what  he  means  by 
"substance"  your  thought  has  travelled  far  from  material 
things  to  the  thought  of  God,  in  whom  is  no  matter  at  all, 
who  manifests  Himself  through  matter  as  a  mere  vehicle  or 
language.  "There  is  no  such  thing  as  reality  with  God  ex- 
cept Himself.  He  is  all  Wisdom  and  nothing  else."  "All 
will  admit  that  God  is  not  matter,  for  God  sees  all  things. 
His  sight  penetrates  the  darkest  places,  and  not  a  thing  can 
be  hidden  from  His  sight."  You  must  see  the  true  Sub- 
stance or  "invisible  Wisdom  that  can  never  be  seen  by  the 
eye  of  opinion"  before  you  can  look  forth  upon  the  panorama 
of  the  world,  beholding  forms  taking  shape,  coming  and  going 
at  the  behest  of  spiritual  powers. 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  421 

Tlie  mind  is  the  medium  in  which  ideas  are  sown.  Ideas, 
as  distinct  from  one  another  as  different  kinds  of  seeds, 
grow  like  seeds,  take  to  themselves  character,  and  become 
known  by  their  fruits.  When  the  mind  is  disturbed,  the 
disturbance  is  shown  in  the  body  as  a  result  of  sub-conscious 
processes  and  "chemical  changes."  Mind  in  relation  to  body 
is  "spiritual  matter"  because  it  can  be  changed,  is  excited 
through  fears,  is  always  in  process  even  when  we  sleep,  is 
not  intelligence  but  subject  to  it,  and  because  it  receives 
thought-seeds  as  the  earth  receives  plant-seeds. 

Sensation  contains  no  intelligence  in  itself,  but  is  a  mere 
disturbance  of  the  spiritual  matter  called  "agitation,"  ready 
to  respond  to  any  direction  given  it  by  our  suggestion.  So 
pain  is  "in  the  mind,"  not  in  the  hip,  for  example,  not  in 
any  organ.  It  contains  no  intelligence,  but  might  be  wisely 
interpreted.  Disease  is  due  to  the  misconstruing  of  sensation 
or  pain,  it  is  due  to  a  wrong  direction  of  mind.  Hence  it  is 
not  an  evil  but  an  "error."  It  is  not  inflicted  on  us  by  God : 
God  created  man  to  be  well,  happy,  free.  The  reflection  or 
fihadow  on  the  body  is  what  the  doctors  call  disease.  Our 
senses  or  life  become  imprisoned  in  the  false  direction  of 
mind,  as  a  result  of  "false  reasoning."  Dr.  Quimby  says  that 
he  sees  both  the  reflection  on  the  body,  the  symptoms  diag- 
nosed, and  the  original  which  casts  the  shadow,  that  is,  the 
inward  disturbance  which  might  have  been  wisely  interpreted. 
To  cure  disease  is  to  (1)  see  its  mental  causes,  (2)  understand 
the  false  directions  of  mind  or  reasonings,  (3)  see  the  truth 
concerning  health  as  a  Divine  ideal,  (4)  realize  the  great 
truth  that  the  spirit  is  not  sick;  hence  (5)  to  separate  the 
true  or  "scientific"  man  from  the  man  of  opinion  or  error. 
This  means  undoing  the  "false  reasoning"  and  learning  what 
would  have  been  the  right  interpretation  of  the  first  sensation 
or  pain. 

The  senses  give  us  a  "knowledge  of  sensation,  with  or  with- 
out Science."  They  have  their  spiritual  counterparts,  the 
true  or  "real"  senses,  not  in  and  of  matter.  These  are 
"light,"  "life,"  and  are  "in  light,"  in  contrast  with  the  wis- 
dom of  this  world  (in  darkness).  The  true  senses  constitute 
the  real  man  or*  spirit,  the  child  of  God.  They  are  larger 
than  the  natural  man  or  body.  Hence  they  are  not  "in'* 
the  body.  They  include  our  higher  consciousness,  clairvoy- 
ance or  intuition,  with  the  inner  impressions  coming  to  us 


422  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

independently  of  the  brain.  Thus  we  have  discernment  of 
objects  at  a  distance,  we  behold  spiritual  events,  conditions, 
states;  we  detect  "odors"  or  mental  atmospheres  at  a  dis- 
tance. Through  these  senses  we  have  immediate  access  to 
Divine  wisdom  and  love.  They  include  the  feminine  side 
of  our  nature,  the  receptivity  or  higher  love.  In  brief,  they 
yield  Science  or  "the  Christ  within."  Through  this  price- 
less possession  man  is  able  to  make  Divine  wisdom  manifest 
in  spiritual  healing. 

Science  or  Truth  is  fundamental  knowledge  of  this  our 
real  nature,  with  its  inner  states  and  possibilities.  It  is 
light  in  contrast  with  the  wisdom  of  the  world.  It  is  har- 
mony in  contrast  with  disease  or  discord.  It  corrects  all 
errors,  holds  no  doubts,  proves  all  things,  explains  causes  and 
effects.  It  is  Divine  wisdom  "reduced  to  self-evident  propo- 
sitions." It  is  the  basis  of  all  special  branches  of  knowledge — 
when  those  other  sciences  are  rightly  founded.  It  is  Christ, 
the  wisdom  of  Jesus.  It  is  in  all,  accessible  to  all.  We  all 
become  parts  of  it  in  so  far  as  we  discern  real  truth.  In 
fact,  Quimby  often  says  the  real  man  "is"  Science.  In  con- 
trast with  it,  the  body  is  only  a  "tenement  for  man  to 
occupy  when  he  pleases." 

Jesus  was  the  man  who  brought  the  true  light  or  Christ 
to  light.  Christ  was  His  religion,  the  God  in  Him.  It  is 
the  sympathy  "which  annihilates  space."  It  separates  Truth 
from  error.  Wisdom  from  opinion.  "Christ  is  that  unseen 
principle  in  man  of  which  he  is  conscious,  but  which  he  has 
never  considered  as  intelligence."  It  is  in  reality  the  basis 
of  all  true  intelligence.  It  is  Wisdom  reduced  to  practice 
so  that  it  is  made  tangible  or  visible  in  the  concrete  things  of 
life.  More  than  that,  it  is  the  real  man  in  us  all,  the  spirit- 
ual self  or  ego.  To  be  a  disciple  of  Jesus  is  not  only  to 
realize  the  Christ  within  as  an  individual  possession,  but  to 
put  this  wisdom  into  practice  in  daily  life.  The  New 
Testament,  rightly  understood,  is  the  great  hook  of  life.  We 
might  read  the  Bible,  asi  indeed  we  might  read  the  human 
heart,  if  we  began  with  the  Christ,  if  we  had  overcome  bond- 
age to  the  wisdom  of  the  world.  To  overcome  this  servitude 
is  to  become  spiritually  free. 

God  is  an  eternal  and  everlasting  Essence  without  matter 
or  visible  form.  This  eternal  Wisdom  spoke  the  idea  "mat- 
ter" into  existence  and  everything  else  that  man  calls  life. 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  423 

The  original  language  was  not  then  the  invention  of  man 
but  was  God,  sympathy,  going  forth  into  expression  in  the 
human  lieart  and  the  world.  Man  invented  language  to 
some  extent,  but  because  he  had  lost  the  original  and  was 
not  content  to  live  by  Divine  guidance :  he  invented  lan- 
guage to  "explain  his  own  wisdom."  But  language  might  be 
used  to  undeceive.  Even  now  the  language  of  sympathy  is 
the  language  of  the  sick.  What  we  need  is  intuition  to  read 
that  language,  according  to  Divine  guidance.  Quimby  is  a 
great  believer  in  the  guidance  of  the  moment,  the  inward 
light  which  shows  where  a  patient  stands,  what  the  needs  are, 
what  wisdom  is  needed  to  clear  away  the  errors.  He  empha- 
sizes guidance  as  wisdom,  rather  than  "power."  He  claims 
no  special  "power"  and  maintains  that  any  one  can  learn 
to  read  the  original  language. 

This  language  discloses  man's  true  identity  or  inner  con- 
sciousness. Man,  to  be  sure,  has  as  many  identities  as  he 
has  directions  of  mind.  But  these  are  transitory.  We  "at- 
tach our  senses"  to  that  which  we  take  to  be  real  for  the  time 
being,  we  are  imprisoned  in  certain  directions  of  mind 
through  our  "false  constructions"  or  errors.  The  great  point 
is  to  observe  the  central  contrast  within  the  self,  between  (1) 
the  mind  of  opinions,  man's  natural  mind,  subject  to  sug- 
gestion, changeable  like  plastic  substance,  amenable  to  falsi- 
ties, "the  mind  of  the  flesh;"  and,  (2)  the  mind  of  the  sci- 
entific man,  accessible  to  Divine  truth,  possessing  an  intelli- 
gence which  does  not  change,  "the  Christ  within."  There  is 
need  of  the  most  clear-cut  distinction  between  the  two. 
Divine  truth  can  accomplish  great  results  in  us,  far  more 
than  the  mere  "power  of  thought."  A  fundamental  change 
can  be  wrought  by  making  this  incisive  distinction,  through 
intuition  or  "clairvoyance,"  by  direct  openness  to  Divine  wis- 
dom.    Then  error  or  darkness  will  be  dispelled. 

Again,  there  is  a  great  contrast  between  the  natural  and 
spiritual  worlds.  For  the  moment,  in  some  of  Quimby's 
critiques  on  religion,  the  "other  world"  seems  to  have  dis- 
appeared, and  there  is  apparently  nothing  left  but  a  collec- 
tion of  beliefs.  But  this  is  because  Quimby  is  chiefly  con- 
cerned with  man's  religious  belief  in  a  supposed  other  world 
as  a  place  of  punishment  or  mere  beatitude ;  because  he  is 
convinced  that  Jesus  did  not  refer  to  the  same  sort  of  "world" 
which  the  Jews  believed  in.     Man  must  first  see  that  his 


424  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

theological  heaven  or  hell  is  an  artifical  region  created  for 
him  by  his  religious  creed,  peopled  by  his  own  fancies  or  made 
vivid  by  his  own  fears.  The  two  worlds  thus  far  are  in 
man's  mind  and  nowhere  else.  Jesus  came  to  destroy  both 
the  world  of  opinion  and  the  "other  world"  of  theology,  that 
He  might  reveal  the  Christ  within.  But  once  aware  that 
our  "other  world"  is  non-existent,  we  are  ready  for  the  pro- 
found truth  that  all  phenomena  appearing  in  the  natural 
world  are  manifestations  of  the  spiritual  world,  or  world  of 
causes.  To  attain  this  vision  is  no  small  accomplishment, 
for  it  means  total  victory  over  all  conventional  ideas  of  death, 
with  all  its  terrors,  its  supposed  decisiveness  for  salvation  and 
everything  else  which  theology  has  invented. 

The  Bible,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  "has  nothing  to  do  with 
theology."  It  is  a  scientific  explanation  of  cause  and  effect, 
showing  how  man  must  act  and  think  for  his  happiness.  It 
is  a  study  of  contrasted  elements,  such  as  Adam  and  Eve, 
Cain  and  Abel,  Moses  and  Aaron,  Saul  and  Paul,  Law  and 
Gospel,  tares  and  wheat.  It  was  never  intended  as  a  re- 
ligious book  according  to  the  opinion  of  the  world.  As  a 
book  it  "contains  no  intelligence  of  itself,"  but  Intelligence 
is  in  it.  That  is  to  say,  it  contains  what  Swedenborg  called 
"the  Word."  Had  Quimby  been  acquainted  with  Sweden- 
borg's  "Arcana  Coelestia,"  he  would  have  found  a  completely 
worked  out  science  of  spiritual  correspondences  which  he 
would  have  been  inclined  to  accept  at  once  in  principle,  al- 
though his  teachings  concerning  Jesus  are  not  those  of 
Swedenborg  concerning  the  Lord.  His  writings  contain  long 
articles  based  on  his  endeavors  to  interpret  the  Scriptures 
spiritually  to  his  patients.  Further  than  that  his  exegesis 
did  not  go.  But  he  went  far  enough  to  set  the  example 
followed  by  Christian ,  Scientists  and  New-Thought  devotees 
to  the  present  time.  He  had  at  least  the  ideal  of  a  spiritual 
Science  which  should  be  its  own  evidence,  which  any  one 
might  verify  by  seeking  out  the  Word. 

Religion  in  the  true  sense  was  to  Quimby  a  Science  which 
can  be  applied  for  the  happiness  and  health  of  man  here  and 
now.  To  be  religious  is  to  be  "more  than  the  natural  man." 
It  yields  that  wisdom  which  can  say  to  the  sick  and  palsied 
man.  Stretch  forth  thine  hand,  and  I  will  apply  the  Christ 
or  Science  and  restore  it.  Naturally  enough  Quimby  is  not 
interested  in  the  question  of  sin,  and  he  hardly  ever  uses  the 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  425 

word  "evil."  For  him  it  is  all  a  question  of  ignorance  or 
error.  There  is  neither  ignorance  nor  error  in  Science,  hence 
no  sin  or  evil.  The  problem  of  evil  differs  in  no  way  from 
that  of  disease.  Therefore  Quimby  says  nothing  about  re- 
pentance and  regeneration.  Man  already  is  good  in  reality. 
He  is  Science.  He  becomes  "a  part  of  God"  by  accepting 
Divine  wisdom  as  his  guide.  Quimby  does  not  mean  this  in 
the  sense  of  pantheistic  submergence  of  individuality,  but 
in  the  sense  of  intimate  relationship  with  that  "invisible 
Wisdom  which  never  can  be  seen  by  the  eye  of  opinion." 

If,  however,  Quimby's  spiritual  exegesis  might  have  been 
fulfilled  in  Swedenborg's  science  of  correspondences,  we  find 
nothing  in  his  writings  pertaining  to  the  realms  of  evil  spirits 
and  angels,  and  nothing  that  tells  us  what  for  him  was  the 
content  of  the  spiritual  world.  He  is  not  at  all  interested  in 
psychical  experiences  except  so  far  as  they  imply  belief  in  the 
spiritism  of  the  day,  and  he  opposes  this  because  he  finds  it 
fundamentally  misleading.  He  does  not  raise  the  question 
whether  there  is  anything  real  behind  the  phenomena,  for  his 
interest  is  to  direct  attention  to  the  world  of  Science  or  "the 
Christ  within."  He  is  clairvoyant  in  high  degree,  but  not  as 
"mediums"  are,  not  through  self-surrender,  but  through  open- 
ness to  Divine  guidance  and  intuition. 

In  one  of  his  critiques  of  spiritualism,  for  example,  Quimby 
puts  to  the  typical  spiritist  the  direct  questions:  "When  I 
speak  is  it  I  or  my  spirit?  If  it  is  I,  do  I  think  also,  and 
if  I  think  when  do  I  cease  thinking?  If  I  lose  my  organs  of 
speech,  etc.  belonging  to  the  body,  where  am  I  ?  Am  I  any- 
thing? If  I  am  a  spirit,  when  was  I  not  one?  How  came 
I  to  be  flesh  and  blood  and  then  a  spirit?  I  am  either  a 
spirit  all  the  time  or  I  am  not,  and  if  I  am  one  what  is  the 
change  called  death,  and  what  dies?"  He  goes  on  to  say 
that  if  the  spirit  is  not  "dead"  it  cannot  give  an  account  of 
what  is  supposed  to  have  happened,  and  if  it  does  not  "die" 
there  is  apparently  no  way  to  account  for  communications 
purporting  to  come  from  the  "dead." 

He  protests,  therefore,  against  the  whole  notion  that  the 
spirit  is  the  mere  thing  a  seance  would  make  it  out  to  be. 
Our  real  existence  or  selfhood  does  not  change.  True  mem- 
ory persists,  for  it  is  eternal,  while  memory  attached  to  this 
existence  "belongs  to  the  idea,  matter."  Our  real  life  is 
composed  of  light  and  wisdom,  while  matter  is  employed  to 


426  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

work  out  our  problems.  We  are  spirits  now  even  while  in 
the  flesh.  In  the  spirit  we  do  our  real  thinking,  real  living. 
Hence  our  real  "future  life"  will  have  continuity  with  this 
life  according  to  the  persistence  of  our  most  interior  identity. 

To  realize  what  the  spirit  is  now  we  should  lift  our  thoughts 
into  spiritual  light,  bringing  together  the  various  items  of 
inner  experience  to  make  vivid  our  conception  of  the  self 
with  all  its  real  or  spiritual  senses.  We  do  not  need  to  "die" 
to  apprehend  these  apart  from  matter,  for  there  never  was 
any  matter  in  them.  They  are  from  God  or  Wisdom.  They 
are  what  give  us  visions  of  objects  at  a  distance,  disclosing 
the  inner  states  of  the  sick,  acquainting  us  with  interior 
thoughts,  revealing  "odors"  or  atmospheres,  in  short,  the 
whole  sphere  of  the  inner  life. 

A  mesmeriser  or  spiritist  medium  has,  in  Quimby's  descrip- 
tion, but  one  identity;  while  he,  Quimby,  when  clairvoyant 
has  two.  To  have  but  one  is  to  yield  one's  selfhood  to  a 
mysterious  power  or  "spirit"  without  awareness  of  what  is 
taking  place.  But  if  one  has  learned,  as  Quimby  knew  from 
long  experience,  that  the  real  identity,  self  or  spirit  possesses 
these  inner  powers  as  a  completely  equipped  being  of  intelli- 
gence, made  in  the  Divine  image  and  likeness,  endowed  with 
Divine  wisdom  as  guidance,  then  one  also  has  a  secondary 
consciousness  or  identity  which  is  aware  of  what  is  going  on 
in  the  natural  world  and  in  man's  natural  mind. 

So  acute  was  Quimby's  own  intuition  that  in  two  of  his 
descriptive  articles  he  tells  what  he  saw  as  if  beholding  reality 
itself,  when  sitting  by  patients  who  thought  they  were  dying, 
and  who  visualized  death  by  peopling  the  supposed  future 
world  according  to  their  own  belief.  So  vivid  was  his  experi- 
ence in  one  instance  that  he  refers  to  evil  spirits  almost  as 
if  he  were  afraid  of  them,  though  speaking  of  them  as  mere 
creations  in  the  world  of  opinion.  That  is,  he  saw  the 
alleged  future  life  with  the  eyes  of  his  patient,  knew  that 
it  was  an  alleged  world  simply,  and  that  the  patient's  real 
world  was  still  an  unknown  quantity  to  the  patient  himself. 
So  he  was  in  the  habit  of  entering  the  thought-world  of  all 
his  patients,  to  see  how  the  situation  appeared  to  the  patient. 
He  was  able  to  do  this  with  remarkable  sympathy.  But 
thereupon  he  would  make  the  sharpest  sort  of  distinction  be- 
tween this  world  of  seeming  reality  and  the  true  spiritual 
world  of  the  Divine  wisdom.     A  spiritist's  world  may  be  as 


SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH  427 

full  of  error  as  a  theologian's  future  state.  Each  world  sends 
off  its  "atmosphere"  which  the  intuitive  can  discern.  We 
are  not  free  until  we  make  the  same  discrimination,  noting 
the  difference  between  the  world  we  have  been  taught  to 
create  through  error  or  belief  and  the  world  we  might  know 
through  tlie  inner  disclosures  of  Wisdom. 

The  spirits  most  of  us  believe  in  are  the  shadows  of  our  own 
imagination  as  surely  as  the  ghosts  supposed  to  haunt  grave- 
yards at  night.  Man  should  know  that  he  lives  in  the  world 
of  his  beliefs.  "The  whole  error  on  which  spiritualism  is 
based  is  a  belief  in  a  world  separate  and  apart  from  the 
living."  We  should  learn  that  "belief  separates,  Wisdom 
unites."  We  should  begin  by  learning,  therefore,  what  the 
true  basis  of  union  is  even  here  and  now  while  we  live  with 
the  flesh,  when  we  communicate  with  the  living.  For  the 
real  world  of  the  living  is  the  same  for  all,  whereas  the  world 
of  mere  belief  is  purely  relative.  Not  until  we  have  begun 
to  grow  in  first-hand  acquaintance  with  spiritual  truth,  not 
until  we  enter  the  world  of  Science  do  we  know  the  one  true 
spiritual  world  which  exists  for  all.  We  might  go  on  gener- 
ating phenomena  to  the  end  of  time,  each  in  his  particular 
world  of  Protestantism  or  Catholicism,  Mormonisra,  rein- 
carnationism  and  the  like,  and  never  arrive  anywhere.  The 
only  way  to  arrive  is  to  put  a  stop  to  the  whole  procedure, 
right  about  face  and  ask  ourselves  what  we  actually  know, 
what  the  facts  are,  what  that  truth  is  which  can  be  demon- 
strated like  mathematics. 

Dr.  Quimby's  great  conviction  is  that  there  is  a  spiritual 
Science,  superior  even  to  the  most  exact  of  the  natural 
sciences,  which  is  the  basis  of  all  true  knowledge  and  the 
source  of  all  true  wisdom.  He  is  willing  to  be  misunder- 
stood, charged  with  putting  down  religion,  making  himself 
equal  to  Christ,  classified  as  a  mere  mesmerist  or  in  any 
other  way  if  only  he  can  make  it  clear  that  there  is  a  straight 
pathway  to  this  Science.  So  he  frequently  speaks  of  himself 
as  a  lawyer  pleading  the  case  of  the  sick  in  "the  court  of 
Science."  In  some  of  his  longest  articles  he  introduces  the 
patient  first,  questioning  her  to  show  how  little  the  patient 
really  knows,  then  he  summons  the  typical  doctor,  afterwards 
a  typical  minister,  till  the  whole  case  is  perfectly  clear  so  far 
as  tlie  wisdom  of  the  world  is  concerned.  He  speaks  with 
entire  fearlessness  when  exposing  hypocrisy  and  sordidness. 


428  SCIENCE,  LIFE,  DEATH 

He  proves  that  the  sufferer  has  been  victimized.  Then  when 
error  has  not  a  vestige  of  reality  to  stand  upon  he  bespeaks 
"the  Christ  within"  as  manifesting  real  justice,  true  health 
and  freedom. 

It  is  impressively  significant  that  Quimby  never  judges 
a  case  by  affirming  abstract  perfection.  The  patient  would 
not  be  free  if  he  did  not  understand  his  own  case,  its  causes 
and  illusions.  The  doctor's  verdict  or  the  minister's  diag- 
nosis in  terms  of  sin  is  as  real  to  the  victim  as  a  spiritist's 
world  to  a  believer  in  spiritism  or  the  political  world  to  a 
demagogue.  We  are  all  victims  of  some  sort  of  demagogue, 
and  must  know  this  for  a  fact.  Why  then  should  we  deny 
what  we  must  understand  in  order  to  overcome  our  servitude? 
The  patient  realizes  that  he  is  entering  an  entirely  new 
world  when  he  finds  his  great  healer  so  sympathetic  that  the 
healer  puts  himself  absolutely  in  the  patient's  place,  taking 
upon  himself  the  burdens  which  doctors  and  priests  have 
created.  This  wins  the  patient's  confidence.  Then  he  is 
astonished  to  find  that  the  whole  burden  dissipates  when  the 
power  of  Quimby's  Science  is  brought  upon  it. 

This  is  the  picture  Quimby  would  have  us  bear  away  with 
our  study  of  his  writings.  God  or  Wisdom  is  so  very  real 
that  external  forms  are  mere  semblances  put  on  to  objectify 
His  truth.  We  are  not  to  think  of  the  universe  as  the  home 
of  matter,  as  that  in  which  God  dwells;  instead  all  things 
are  in  God  as  intimately  as  ideas  are  in  the  mind,  all  things 
are  meant  for  good,  all  things  are  guided  by  Wisdom.  This 
Wisdom  is  in  us,  we  live  in  this  Wisdom,  and  when  we 
identify  ourselves  with  His  image  and  likeness  the  new 
birth  will  begin,  we  shall  begin  in  very  truth  to  live  and 
think  from  Him.  This  Life  within  us  will  accomplish  the 
work,  as  shadows  disappear  before  the  morning  sun.  This 
Wisdom  will  create  the  same  true  world  in  us  all. 


APPENDIX 

LIST  OP  ARTICLES  BY  DR.  P.  P.  QUIMBY 

1859. 

Oct.:  What  is  Disease?  Mind  is  Spiritual  Matter;  How 
Does  the  Mind  Produce  Disease?  Nov.:  Mind  is  not  Intelli- 
gence; Is  Disease  a  Belief?  Dee.:  What  is  Disease?  Love,  I; 
Love,  II;  My  Belief;  Truth  and  Error;  Two  Sciences;  Ob- 
stacles in  Establishing  a  New  Science;  A  Communication 
(William). 

1860. 
Jan.:  Am  I  a  Spiritualist ?  Clairvoyance;  Your  Position  in 
Kegard  to  the  World;  What  is  My  Theory?  How  Dr.  Quimby 
Cures;  Christ  and  Truth;  Difference  between  My  Belief  and 
Others;  True  and  False  Christs;  What  Lives  After  Death? 
Your  True  Position  Towards  Truth  and  Error;  My  Religion. 
Feb. :  Happiness.  March :  Letter  to  Mrs.  W.  of  Wayne ;  To 
a  Patient  Recently  Helped;  Prayer,  I;  Prayer,  II;  How  I  Hold 
my  Patients;  Illustration  of  How  I  Cure  the  Sick;  Do  Persons 
Really  Believe  in  What  They  Think  They  Do?  Jesus  and  Christ? 
Wrong  Use  of  Words  (Weight).  April:  Harmony,  I;  Harmony, 
II;  Differences  of  Opinion  About  the  Dead;  Resurrection;  Jesus, 
The  Real  Object  of  His  Mission;  Another  World,  May:  Con- 
troversy About  the  Dead;  Life  (Senses);  Matter  and  Life; 
Breathing,  I;  Breathing,  II;  Science;  Effect  or  Religious  Opinions 
on  Health;  Religion  and  Science.  June:  Consumption  (Breath- 
ing);  Odors;  What  is  Religion?  July:  Love;  Science;  One 
Character  of  God;  Taking  a  Disease  (Consumption,  Breathing). 
Aug. :  My  Use  of  the  Word  Mind ;  The  Senses ;  Science  in  the 
Bible;  The  Parables  of  Jesus;  Why  are  Females  more  Sickly 
than  Males?  What  the  Parables  Taught;  Did  St.  Paul  Teach 
Another  World?  What  is  the  Relation  of  God  to  Man?  Mat- 
ter is  Life;  Answer  to  an  Article  in  the  New  York  Ledger; 
Revelation;  Parable.  Sept.:  Right  and  Wrong;  Letter  to  a 
Young  Physician ;  Letter  Regarding  a  Patient.  Oct. :  God ;  Let- 
ter to  a  Gentleman ;  Letter  to  a  ClergjTnan ;  Advertisements 
(Hair  Restorative)  :  Disease  (Insanity)  ;  Language  (Murdering 
the  King's  English).  Nov.:  Mrs.  C;  (Character;  The  Natural 
Man,  I ;  The  Natural  Man,  II ;  Symptoms  of  a  Patient,  I ;  Symp- 

429 


430  APPENDIX 

toms   of   a   Patient,    II.    Dec:    Substance   and    Shadow    (The 
Senses). 

1861 
Jan.:  The  Senses;  Doctor  and  Patient  (Dialo^e).  Feb.:  Mind. 
March:  Death,  I;  Death,  II;  Spiritualism;  Where  do  I  Differ 
from  a  Spiritualist  and  Others'?  Dr.  Quimby  as  Reformer: 
How  he  Cures;  How  Dr.  Quimby  Cures;  Spiritualism  (Death 
of  the  Natural  Man)  ;  Difference  from  Spiritualists  (Contin- 
ued) ;  A  Prophecy  Concerning  the  Nation,  I.  April :  Man  and 
Society;  How  Disease  is  Made;  Letter  to  a  Patient;  Govern- 
ment ;  A  Prophecy  Concerning  the  Nation,  II.  May :  Letter  to 
a  Patient;  The  Standard  of  Law;  What  I  call  my  Cures.  June: 
Opposing  Doctors  and  Priests;  What  is  Disease?  (Disease, 
Love,  Courage).  July:  Mind  and  Matter.  Aug.:  \Vhat  is  Dis- 
ease? How  Brought  About  and  Cured?  The  Christian's  God; 
Language  (Parable);  What  is  God?  (Six  Parts);  Is  There 
Another  World  Beyond  This?  Origin  of  Political  Parties; 
Patriotism,  I;  Patriotism,  II;  Popular  Definition  of  the 
Word  Mind;  Cancer;  Proverbs;  Vaccination;  True  Wisdom. 
Sept. :  What  is  a  Clairvoyant  Person  ?  Conflicting  Elements 
in  Man  (To  the  Sick)  ;  Identity  of  God  or  Wisdom  (Ignorance 
of  Man  in  Regard  to  the  True  God) ;  Man;  Life;  Exposition  of 
I  Corinthians,  VIII,  1-3;  To  the  Old  Whigs.  Oct.:  Life  and 
Death;  Belief  of  Man;  To  those  Seeking  the  Truth;  About  a 
Patient  (Exposition  of  Dr.  Quimby's  Method)  ;  Introduction 
(Dr.  Quimby  vs.  Spiritualism) ;  Introduction  (How  Dr. 
Quimby  Treats  Disease).  Nov.:  Truth  Based  on  Wisdom  (Ee- 
ligion  Analyzed) ;  Strength.  Dec. :  The  First  Symptoms  of 
Disease:  Sickness  an  Effect  of  Belief  in  Disease;  Popular  Be- 
lief of  Curing  Disease;  Where  do  I  differ  from  Others  in  Cur- 
ing?   About  a  Patient. 

1862. 

Jan.:  Disease  Traced  to  the  Early  Ages;  How  does  Dr.  Quimby 
Stand  Toward  his  Patients'?  Where  do  I  Differ  from  a  Spirit- 
ualist? The  Natural  Man;  Death.  Feb.:  What  is  a  BeUef? 
The  Subject  of  Mind;  Disease  (Caspar  Hauser).  Questions 
and  Answers  [Chap.  XIII].  March:  Prayer  for  the  Sick;  Two 
Brothers ;  Mind :  Not  Wisdom ;  My  Position  as  a  Man  and  as  a 
Doctor;  Why  do  I  not  Cure  All  Alike?  Christian  Explanation 
of  the  Bible.  April:  Religion  for  the  Well  and  for  the  Sick; 
Foundations  of  Religious  Beliefs;  True  and  False  Science; 
Clairvoyance  (A  Detective  in  Disease) ;  Do  I  Know  How  I  Cure? 
Sight,  Substance  and  Shadow;  Does  Imagination  Cure  Disease? 
Music;  The  Two  Trinities.  May:  The  Two  Worids;  Bad  Belief 
Worse  than  None;   What  is   Spiritualism?  What  is  a   Spirit? 


APPENDIX  431 

June:  Proof  that  a  Person  can  be  in  Two  Places  at  the  Same 
Time  and  be  Aware  of  the  Fact;  Unconscious  Effect  of  Persons 
on  Each  Other.  July:  "What  is  Human  Life?  Aug.:  The 
Phenomena  of  Spiritualism;  What  is  Man?  Sept.:  Spiritual 
Communication  between  the  Living  and  the  Dead;  Are  We  Gov- 
erned by  our  Belief?  Curing  Children  and  Fools  through  the 
Mind;  Conversation  with  Patients;  Communications  from  the 
Dead  (Physical  Demonstrations);  Outlines  of  My  Theory;  The 
White  Man  and  the  Negro  Race;  Science:  Error;  Opinions: 
Wisdom;  Spiritualism  and  Mesmerism  (To  the  Editor);  Dif- 
ference on  Philosophy  of  Mind.  Oct.:  Experience  of  a  Patient 
with  Dr.  Quimby;  Works:  the  Fruit  of  our  Belief;  Is  there  any 
Curative  Quality  in  Medicine?  The  Religion  of  Jesus:  A  Belief 
or  a  Truth?  The  Relation  of  this  Truth  to  the  Sick;  Introduc- 
tion (Words);  Concerning  the  Dying;  Life:  Its  Application. 
Nov.:  Happiness  and  Misery;  Mind;  Resurrection;  Mj  Igno- 
rance of  the  English  Language;  Difficulty  in  Introducing  My 
Ideas  to  the  World.  Dec. :  Language :  Its  Application ;  Do  Words 
Contain  Wisdom?  Man  Outside  of  His  Body;  The  Language  of 
Truth;  What  has  my  Writing  and  Talking  to  do  with  Curing? 
What  calls  out  my  Arguments? 

1863. 

Jan.-May:  The  Body  of  Jesus  and  The  Body  of  Christ:  The 
Kingdom  of  Heaven;  My  Conversion  to  Health;  The  Issue  of 
the  Rebellion;  The  Poor  vs.  the  Rich;  Assassination  of  Lincoln; 
The  Explanation,  I;  The  Explanation,  II;  Defence  Against  an 
Accusation  of  Putting  down  Religion;  What  is  Death?  Disease 
and  Sickness;  Man  a  Progressive  Organization  (Elements  of 
Progress)  ;  My  Mode  of  Treating  Disease;  Mind;  Nothing,  Some- 
thing; Words;  The  Definition  of  Words;  Introduction;  Marriage; 
Miserj';  President  Lincoln's  Death;  Aristocracy  and  Democracy; 
(Christian  Science);  Lecturers  (Their  Atmosphere);  Dialogue 
on  Immortality;  New  England;  Revolutions  and  Rebellions; 
Concerning  the  Use  of  Medicine;  Nations  and  Individuals;  On 
the  Draft;  The  Scientific  Man;  Introduction  (Mesmerism  and 
Spiritualism);  Supplement  to  an  Article  (Two  Patients);  To 
the  Reader;  IDisease:  An  Example;  The  Honeymoon;  Spirits: 
Substance  and  Shadow;  Illustrations  of  Immortality,  (A  View). 
Sept.:  Every  Person  a  Book.  Nov.:  Defence  Against  an  Accusa- 
tion of  Making  Myself  Equal  with  Christ.  Dec. :  Circulation  of 
the  Blood;  Illustration  of  the  Above;  Method  of  Treatment  for 
a  Child. 

1864. 

February-June :   Ignorance :    The   Obstacle    in    Establishing  a 
New  Science;  The  Power  of  Mind;  Imagination,  I;  Imagination, 


432  APPENDIX 

II;  Had  Jesus  a  Belief?  Objects  and  Shadows;  Spiritualism 
and  Mesmerism;  Difference  between  My  Belief  and  that  of 
Others;  Copperheads  Caught  in  Their  Own  Trap;  Truth:  Error; 
Senses;  Words,  Truth:  Its  Application;  Unconscious  Effect  of 
Persons  on  Each  Other  (The  Effect  of  Mind  on  Mind) ;  The 
Power  of  Lies;  Man's  Identities;  Truth  (How  Determined); 
Disease;  Its  Causes;  The  Cause  of  Man's  Troubles;  Disease:  An 
Example;  Language,  I;  Language,  II;  Language,  III;  Curing 
Without  Medicine;  The  Higher  Intelligence;  The  Effect  of  Dis- 
belief in  Another  World;  My  Experience  in  Mesmerism;  Is 
Man's  Strength  in  his  Legs?  July-Sept.:  Understanding  My 
Theory  is  the  Cure  of  Disease :  Death :  A  Scene ;  Disease :  White 
Swelling;  Does  Man  Separate  Body  and  Soul  in  Reasoning? 
Conservatism;  Death;  How  Can  a  Person  Learn  to  Cure  the 
Sick?  Illustrations  of  What  I  Claim  to  have  Discovered; 
Disease  and  Sickness  Its  Causes;  Mind:  Not  Wisdom;  Misery 
(We  Never  See  That  which  We  Are  Afraid  Of) ;  Had  Jesus 
a  Belief?  Nothing  Produces  Nothing;  Man's  Senses;  Cures 
Made  outside  of  the  Medical  Faculty. 

1865. 
Experiments  in  Detaching  the  Soul  from  the  Body;  The 
Immortality  of  the  Soul;  Happiness;  Concerning  Happiness; 
Why  do  I  Talk  about  Religion?  Ignoi'ance  and  Wisdom;  How 
the  Senses  are  Deceived  (The  Senses  Compared  to  a  Virgin) ; 
Why  I  am  Misrepresented;  My  System  of  Reasoning;  Preaching; 
The  Eeception  of  this  Grreat  Truth;  What  I  Impart  to  My 
Patients;  False  Reports  Concerning  My  Religious  Belief;  Spirit- 
ualism; The  Two  Principles  Acting  in  Man;  Introduction  (The 
Science  of  Happiness);  Right  and  Wrong;  The  Evidence  of 
Sight  (Dr.  Quimby's  last  article,  July  15, 1865). 


THE  QUIMBY-EDDY  CONTROVERSY 

After  Dr.  Quimby's  death,  Mrs,  Eddy  continued  to  teach  the 
new  ideas  and  methods,  as  one  of  his  followers  until  the  period  of 
her  more  public  work.  She  lived  in  Stoughton,  Mass.,  1868-70, 
where  she  left  a  manuscript  knowTi  as  "Extracts  from  P.  P.  Quim- 
by's Writings,"  on  which  she  based  her  teachings.  (A  part  of  the 
Ms.,  with  a  facsimile  showing  emendations  in  Mrs.  Eddy's  hand, 
was  published  in  the  New  York  Times,  July  10,  1904,  with  a 
"deadly  parallel"  showing  Quimby's  teachings  and  those  of  Mrs, 
Eddy  in  "Science  and  Health  ")  In  1872,  while  teaching  in 
Lynn,  Mass.,  Mrs.  Eddy  claimed  this  Ms.  as  her  own,  and  in 
this  and  other  writings  she  gradually  changed  the  terminology 
so  that  it  bore  less  resemblance  to  Quimby's.  After  publish- 
ing "Science  and  Health,"  in  1875,  she  put  forward  progres- 
sive claims  as  discoverer  and  founder.  In  her  "Metaphysical 
College,"  in  Boston,  Mrs.  Eddy  began  in  1882  to  have  trouble 
with  her  students,  who  criticized  her  teaching  and  disputed  her 
claims. 

One  of  these  students,  Mr.  E.  J.  Arens,  learned  from  Mr.  J.  A. 
Dresser,  October,  1882,  that  the  methods  and  ideas  claimed  as  hers 
by  right  of  "revelation"  were  derived  from  Dr.  Quimby. 
Arens  gave  full  credit  to  Quimby  and  claimed  the  right  to  publish 
the  new  ideas  without  giving  credit  to  Christian  Science,  but  was 
sued  by  Mrs.  Eddy  for  plagiarism.  The  suit  was  won,  Sept. 
24,  1883,  by  Mrs.  Eddy,  because  Arens  could  not  persuade 
George  Quimby  to  let  him  take  the  Quimby  Mss.  into  court. 
Meanwhile,  the  controversy  in  the  press  was  begun,  Feb.,  1883,  by 
"A.  0.,"  in  a  letter  to  the  editor  of  the  Boston  Post,  entitled  "The 
Founder  of  the  Mental  Method  of  Treating  Disease,"  in  which  the 
facts,  acquired  from  Mr,  Dresser,  were  accurately  stated. 

1883,  Feb.  19.  "E.  G.,"  ostensibly  a  sometime  patient  of  Dr. 
Quimby's  but  in  reality  a  publicist  for  Mrs.  Eddy,  writes  a  letter 
to  the  Post,  representing  Quimby  as  a  mere  "mesmerist"  and 
trickster. 

1883.  Feb.  23.  Mr.  Dresser  refutes  these  statements  and  puts 
Quimby's  work  in  its  true  light. 

1883.  March  7.  Mrs.  Eddy  writes  to  the  Post  over  her  own  signa- 
ture, trying  to  meet  Mr.  Dresser's  reply  by  introducing  irrelevant 
subjects. 

433 


434  APPENDIX 

1884.  The  scene  of  the  controversy  is  changed  to  Hartford,  Conn ; 
in  the  Hartford  Times  Mr.  Dresser  recounts  the  true  history  of 
Quimby's  discovery  and  practice. 

1885.  Mrs.  Eddy  collects  her  "facts"  in  "Historical  Sketch  of 
Metaphysical  Healing,"  Boston,  pub.  by  the  author;  tries  to  show 
that  Quimby  was  a  mere  mesmerist:  alleges  that  she  left  Mss. 
with  him  in  1862. 

1887.  By  request,  Mr,  Dresser  gives  lecture  in  Boston  entitled 
"The  True  History  of  Mental  Science,"  quotes  from  a  Ms.  by 
Quimby,  explains  the  ideas  and  methods  to  show  that  they  in- 
volve neither  mesmerism  nor  manipulation,  reads  Mrs.  Eddy's 
articles,  verses  and  letter  showing  her  loyalty  to  Quimby  during 
his  life-time.  This  lecture,  published  in  pamphlet  form  by  the 
author,  Boston,  1887,  becomes  basis  of  true  history  every- 
where; revised,  with  additions,  by  H.  W.  Dresser,  Boston,  1899. 

1887.  June.  Having  no  answer  to  the  "True  History,"  Mrs.  Eddy 
makes  a  general  denial  and  adds  further  fuel  to  the  controversial 
fires  in  "Mind-Healing  History,"  in  the  Christian  Science 
Journal. 

1888.  March.  George  Quimby  writes  about  his  father's  life  and 
work,  in  New  England  Magazine,  showing  how  Dr.  Quimby 
changed  from  mesmerism  and  discovered  mental  healing. 

1888.  Mr.  A.  J.  Swarts  visits  Boston,  Portland  and  Belfast,  learns 
the  facts  at  first  hand  from  Mr.  Dresser  and  Mr.  George 
Quimby,  and  publishes  his  findings  in  various  issues  of  the 
Mental  Science  Magazine,  Chicago. 

1895.  In  "The  Philosophy  of  P.  P.  Quimby,"  Boston,  Geo.  H.  Ellis, 
Mrs.  Annetta  G.  Dresser,  Dr.  Quimby's  patient  1862,  newspaper 
excerpts  concerning  Quimby's  woi'k  and  brief  quotations  from 
the  Mss.  are  published. 

1899.  Mr.  Septimus  J.  Hanna,  publicist,  summarizes  Mrs.  Eddy's 
side  of  the  case  in  "Christian  Science  History,"  Boston,  Christian 
Science  Pub.  Co. 

1899.  May.  H.  W.  Dresser  publishes  in  The  Arena,  the  facts  about 
Mrs.  Eddy's  indebtedness  to  Dr.  Quimby,  also  portions  of  Mrs. 
Eddy's  letters ;  Mrs.  Woodbury,  former  student  under  Mrs.  Eddy, 
puts  the  latter's  statements  in  Portland  papers,  1862,  in  deadly 
parallel  with  those  in  Mrs.  Eddy's  article  in  the  Christian  Science 
Journal,  June,  1887. 

1902.  Another  publicist,  Alfred  Farlow,  issues  "Christian  Science : 


APPENDIX  435 

Historical  Facts,"  in  which  the  usual  claims  are  made  without  any 
examination  of  the  true  history. 

1907.  Miss  Georgine  IVIilmine,  after  painstaking  research,  pub- 
lishes in  McClure's  Magazine  accurate  life  of  Mrs.  Eddy^  which 
appears  in  book  form  as  "The  Life  of  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy,"  New 
York,  Doubleday  Page  and  Co.,  1909.  Miss  Milmine  carefully 
traces  history  of  Quimby's  Ms.,  "Questions  and  Answers,"  show- 
ing how  it  has  been  modified  by  Mrs.  Eddy  in  her  "Science  of 
Man,"  and  "Science  and  Health." 

1907.  Miss  Sybil  Wilbur,  writer,  undertakes  to  prepare  an  off- 
settuig  "Life"  without  inquiring  into  the  truth  of  the  ''facts" 
put  at  her  disposal.  The  result  is  seen  in  Human  Life,  Boston, 
April,  1907,  which  contains  a  sensational  report  of  an  interview 
with  George  Quimby,  trying  to  discredit  him  and  doubting  the  au- 
thenticity of  the  Quimby  Mss.  These  statements  somewhat  modi- 
fied in  "Life  of  Mary  Baker  Eddy,"  New  York,  The  Concord  Pub. 
Co.,  1908. 

1907.  The  controversy  is  taken  up  by  various  clergymen,  including 
Lj'man  P.  Powell/'Christian  Science,  the  Faith  and  its  Founder," 
New  York,  Putman's  Sons,  1907,  and  James  H.  Snowden,  "The 
Truth  about  Cliristian  Science,"  Philadelphia,  The  Westminister 
Press,  1920,  in  which  the  facts  are  impartially  stated. 

1921.  The  publication  of  "The  Quimby  Manuscripts"  and  a 
review  in  the  Springfield  Republican  called  forth  a  letter 
from  Clifford  P.  Smith,  which  appeared  in  the  Springfield 
Republican  of  September,  29,  1921. 

After  the  publication  of  portions  of  the  Quimby  Ms.,  with 
facsimiles  and  the  deadly  parallel,  in  the  New  York  Times,  July 
10,  1904,  conclusively  establishing  the  original  source,  Miss 
Milmine,  who  had  thoroughly  investigated  the  subject,  wrote  to 
George  Quimby,  Oct.  27,  1905,  as  follows: 

"It  is  quite  true  that  she  (Mrs.  Eddy)  did  use  your  father's 
Ms.  entitled  'Questions  and  Answers'  to  teach  from  in  the  be- 
ginning. In  fact,  she  used  nothing  else  for  many  years,  and  hired 
a  student  to  make  copies  of  it  for  the  use  of  each  pupil.  I  have 
photographs  of  one  of  these  copies,  and  have  seen  several  of  them 
belonging  to  early  pupils  who  have  kept  them  and  who  showed 
them  to  me.  With  the  change  of  a  word  here  and  there,  it  is 
exactly  your  father's  Ms.  This  manuscript  of  your  father's  was 
used  largely  to  form  a  chapter  called  'Recapitulation'  in  'Science 
and  Health'  in  later  years;  but  with  each  new  edition  it  was  re- 
vised until  the  present  chapter  of  that  title  is  a  long  way  off 


436  APPENDIX 

from  the  original.  Nevertheless  this  is  the  only  chapter  in  her 
book  from  which  her  students  are  taught  in  classes,  today.  The 
course  in  C.  S.  consists  of  a  series  of  talks  on  this  one  chapter, 
which  is  elucidated  and  explained  to  the  class.  So  everybody  who 
is  learning  C.  S.  healing  today  is  learning  the  essential  truth 
almost  directly  from  your  father's  old  manuscript,  as  in  the  be- 
ginning. The  rest  of  C.  S.  and  all  the  objectionable  part  is 
simply  'frills'  added  by  Mrs.  Eddy.  Of  course  she  has  used 
your  father's  ideas  and  many  of  his  phrases  all  through  the 
book.  .  .  .  The  Ms.  you  sent  [printed  above,  Chap.  XIII.l  is 
almost  word  for  word,  as  you  have  seen,  like  the  one  she  used 
to  teach  from." 

Even  Miss  Wilbur,  in  her  "interview"  with  Mrs.  Crosby,  of 
"Waterville,  as  reported  in  Human  Life,  March,  1907,  puts  in 
as  fact  that  "Mrs.  Patterson  spent  most  of  her  time  reducing  to 
writing  the  remembered  sayings  of  Quimby,"  while  living  with 
Mrs.  Crosby. 

Turning  once  more  to  one  who  knew  the  whole  history  of  the 
production  of  the  Quimby  Mss.  from  within.  In  a  letter  dated 
Belfast,  Me.,  Nov.  11th,  1001,  to  one  of  his  many  inquiring  cor- 
respondents, George  Quimby  says :  "As  far  as  the  book,  'Science 
and  Health,'  is  concerned,  Mrs.  Eddy  had  no  access  to  father's 
Mss.  [Save  'Questions  and  Answers']  when  she  wrote  it,  but  that 
she  did  have  a  very  full  knowledge  of  his  ideas  and  beliefs  is  also 
true.  The  religion  which  she  teaches  certainly  is  hers,  for  which  I 
cannot  be  too  thankful;  for  I  should  be  loath  to  go  down  to  my 
grave  feeling  that  my  father  was  in  any  way  connected  with 
'Christian  Science.'  That  she  got  her  inspiration  and  idea  from 
father  is  beyond  question.  In  other  words,  had  there  been  no 
Dr.  Quimby  there  would  have  been  no  Mrs.  Eddy.  Father 
claimed  to  believe,  and  taught  and  practiced  his  belief,  that 
disease  was  a  mental  condition  and  was  an  invention  of  man. 
.  .  .  while  he  held  strong  views,  and  acknowledged  God  as  first 
cause — and  no  one  ever  believed  in  God  and  Jesus  more  than  he 
— he  differed  entirely  as  to  the  Bible,  and  interpreted  it  in  a 
way  entirely  orginal  with  himself.  In  curing  the  sick  [conven- 
tional] religion  played  no  part.  There  were  no  prayers,  there 
was  no  asking  assistance  from  God  or  any  other  divinity.  He 
cured  by  his  wisdom.  .  .  .  Don't  confuse  his  method  of  heal- 
ing with  Mrs.  Eddy's  Christian  Science,  so  far  as  her  religious 
teachings  go.  Disease  as  a  mental  condition  caused  by  error  or 
beliefs,  and  capable  of  being  cured  mentally  without  medicine 
or  appliances  or  applications — these  ideas  are  embodied  in  Mrs. 
Eddy's  book —  she  certainly  heard  father  teach  years  before  she 
wrote  her  book.  While  under  his  care,  off  and  on  for  several 
years,  she  became  deeply  interested  in  his  theory  of  disease  and 
its  cure.     She  heard  many  of  his  essays  read;  wrote  many  her- 


APPENDIX  437 

self  which  she  submitted  to  him  for  inspection  and  correction. 
But  she  never  left  any  of  hers  with  him,  and  never  had  any  of 
his,  to  more  than  look  at.  ^  She  had  the  opportunity  to  copy 
some,  and  possibly  did.  After  slie  left  his  care,  she  delivered 
some  lectures  on  his  method  of  healing.  .  .  .  Up  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  no  one  could  have  been  more  loyal  to  father  than 
she.  She  gave  him  full  credit  for  curing  her  and  teaching  her 
the  very  ideas  she  later  had  revealed  to  her  from  Heaven. 

"Now  a  word  about  that  great  court  decision.  One  E.  J.  Arens, 
of  Boston,  made  a  statement  which  he  could  not  prove,  that 
Mrs.  Eddy  got  her  ideas  from  father,  and  that  his  writings  and 
Mss.  would  prove  it.  He  went  into  court  and  could  not  prove 
what  he  said,  and  now  Mrs.  Eddy  and  her  adherents  claim  that 
hecause  he  could  not  prove  that  there  were  such  Mss.,  that  there 
are  none!  I  would  not  allow  him  to  use  the  Mss.  in  court,  and 
consequently  he  could  not  prove  what  he  said."  * 

Writing  to  another  man,  George  Quimby  said  in  part : 

"The  basis  of  the  whole  misunderstanding  has  been  that  every- 
thing that  has  emanated  from  the  Eddy  side  has  been  taken  for 
God's  truth,  and  everything  that  has  been  stated  in  opposition  to 
her  has  been  pronounced  and  believed  to  be  lies.  By  assuming 
all  she  has  said  as  true,  on  the  start,  it  doesn't  leave  much  for 
the  other  side. 

"To  begin  with,  you  must  understand  that  I  was  with  my  father 
during  the  term  he  was  in  Portland,  and  had  had  an  intimate 
personal  acquaintance  extending  over  two  or  more  years  with 
Mrs.  Eddy  (then  Mrs.  Patterson).  I  am  not  stating  hearsay, 
but  personal  knowledge.  As  I  was  father's  clerk,  bookkeeper 
and  sec'y,  and  as  it  was  the  wish  of  his  life  that  I  take  his  place 
and  caiTy  on  his  work,  I  ought  to  know  what  he  believed  and 
claimed,  and  how  he  treated  the  sick,  and  what  he  wanted  me  to 
learn.  I  have  a  package  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  letters  to  my  father, 
covering  a  period  from  1862  to  1864.  ...  In  all  her  letters  she 
gives  him  full  credit  for  discovering  and  reducing  mental  heal- 
ing to  a  science.  .  .  .     This  Mrs.  Patterson  knew,  and  this  she 

1  That  is,  Vol.  I,  loaned  her  by  Mr.  Dresser,  as  already  stated. 

2  [Mr.  Quimby  did  not  loan  his  father's  manuscripts  to  Mr.  Arens 
because  ho  was  not  in  a  position  financially  to  engage  in  a  suit. 
Moreover,  be  was  naturally  and  rightly  asked  why  be  should  take  part 
in  a  suit  to  establish  what  was  true?  Dr.  Quimby  had  taught  that 
truth  could  take  care  of  itself,  when  the  time  came.  His  son  be- 
lieved that  his  father's  rights  would  be  established  when  the  time 
should  come  to  publish  the  Mss.  Finally,  Mr.  Arens  had  made  un- 
warranted statements  to  the  effect  that  Dr.  Quimby  was  not  only 
the  originator  of  mental  healing  and  the  terminology  of  Christiaa 
Science,  but  was  actually  the  author  of  the  book,  "Science  and 
Health."  To  put  the  matter  in  the  right  light  it  would  have  been 
necessary  to  show,   as  we  have  shown  in  this  volume,  that  there 


438  APPENDIX 

learned  from  him,  not  as  a  student  receiving  a  regular  course 
as  she  taught  in  licr  college,  but  by  sitting  in  his  room,  talking 
with  him,  reading  his  Mss.,  copying  some  of  them,  writing  some 
herself  and  reading  them  to  him  for  his  criticism.  In  that 
sense  she  and  many  others  of  his  patients  were  his  pupils,  in 
the  same  way  that  the  disciples  were  pupils  of  Jesus.  I  have 
heard  hira  talk  hours  and  hours,  week  in  and  week  out,  when  she 
was  present,  listening  and  asking  questions.  After  these  talks 
he  would  put  on  paper  in  the  shape  of  an  essay  or  conversation 
what  subject  his  talk  had  covered.  These  writings  we  would  then 
copy  into  blank  books.  .  .  .  Five  or  six  were  written  before 
Mrs.  Patterson  came  to  Portland. 

"Now,  I  have  had  since  the  article  appeared  in  The  Times 
several  letters  from  Mr.  Wentworth,  who  claims  to  have  the 
document  from  which  The  Times  gave  extracts.  I  wrote  him 
and  asked  him  to  give  me  the  'Questions  and  Answers'  of  which 
there  purported  to  be  fifteen,  and  al30  the  beginning  of  the 
'Answers.'  He  did  so.  I  have  in  my  possession  the  original  of 
these  questions  and  answers. 

"Mrs.  Eddy  did  live  in  Stoughton.  She  did  board  with  those 
people.  And  it  does  not  seem  possible  nor  probable  to  me  that 
they  would  absolutely  lie  about  this  matter — I  mean  as  to  where 
they  obtained  the  paper.  If  they  did  not  get  it  from  Mrs.  Eddy, 
where  did  it  come  from?  They  never  saw  father,  and  father 
wrote  the  original  article,  and  I  have  it  before  me  now,  and  it 
is  dated  Portland,  Feb.  1862.  .  .  . 

"If  he  was  a  mesmerist  or  spiritualist,  what  did  he  write  that 
for?  And  why  did  he  say  in  his  Circular  to  the  Sick,  which  he 
issued  from  1860  to  1865,  'I  give  no  medicine  and  make  no 
outward  applications.  I  tell  the  patient  his  feelings,  and  my 
explanation  is  the  cure'?  Why  did  he  do  this?  Because  that 
was  his  method  and  no  one  knew  it  better  than  Mrs.  Eddy. 

"In  your  statement  of  Mrs.  Eddy's  offer  to  print  father's 
writings,  if  any  such  existed,  and  because  her  offer  was  not 
accepted  it  proved  there  were  no  such  writings,  you  did  not  give 
her  whole  offer  which  was,  'provided'  she  first  be  allowed  to 
examine  them  and  see  if  they  were  not  some  she  left  with  him! 
Just  think  of  it!  my  letting  her,  or  any  one  else,  have  Mss.  I 
knew  were  father's  because  I  saw  him  write  them,  and  copied 
many  of  them  myself,  to  see  if  she  didn't  write  them  and  leave 
them  with  him." 

was  a  large  collection  of  manuscripts,  original  and  revised,  contain- 
ing the  whole  theory  of  mental  healing  and  Christian  Science;  and 
that  what  Mrs.  Eddy  used  was  the  essential  terminology,  the 
methods,  and  the  reasonings  which  establish  the  principle  that  ''all 
causation  is  mental"  in  the  origination  and  cure  of  disease.] 


INDEX 


Absent  treatment,  155,  156 
Animal    magnetism,    30,    36,    37, 

45,  54.  65 
Annihilation  of  disease,  101 
Arena,  434 

Arens,  E.  J.,  433,  437 
Atmospheres,  mental,  247,  248 
Attention,  55,  56 
Attraction,  219 

Bass,  Miss  F.  B.,  90,  91,  113 
Belief,  61,  167.  186.  202,  214,  277 
Berkeley,  18,  57,  162 
Bible,    168,    243,    287,    303,    352, 

388,  424 
Bigelow,  Dr.  John,  37,  38 
Blindness,   128 
Bodv    and   mind,    182,   202,   213 

219,  235 
Burkman,  See  Lucius 

Cancer.  123.  313 

Causation,  see  ilental  causation 

Charity,  381  f. 

Christ,  the,  10,  17,  67,  126.  170, 
185,  197  f.,  207  f.:  see  Science 

Christ,  and  Jesus,  176,  185,  197, 
209,  215.  242,  244,  303;  true 
and  false,  201;  equality  with, 
350 

"Christian  Science,"  (Mrs.  Ed- 
dy's), 12.  15,  2.3,  163.  164,  389 

Christian  Science,  131,  185,  347, 
388 

Circular  to  the  sick,  150 

Clairvoyance,  32  f..  37,  47,  50, 
53  f.,"  189,   191,  253.  341,  342 

Communications,  226.  241 

Concentration,   36,   55.   65 

Consumption,  28.  121.  211,  221, 
247,  285.  301,  320,  420 

Courage,  298 

Curative  qualities,  290,  300 


Cures.  286 

Curing,  33,  37,  66,  137,  172,  184, 
212,  293;   see  Healing 

Dead,  the,  222,  368 

Death,  222  f.,  226,  233  f.,  371, 
398,  399,  407  f.,  426 

Dcering,  Capt.,  103,  104,  156 

Diagnosis,  mental,  34,  38,  46,  47, 
64,  78,  150,  191,  246;  of  dis- 
ease,  146 

Disease,  as  error,  32  f.,  61;  as  a 
fashion,  75;  as  a  penalty,  134; 
a  belief,  165,  186,  279;' as  an 
idea,  166,  289;  curing  of,  172; 
cause  of,  173,  180  f.,  187,  190, 
231;  of  the  heart,  173,  296; 
life  and,  186,  200.  391;  love 
and,  187;  sensation  and,  220, 
251;  ignorance  and.  234;  im- 
agination and.  234,  262:  odors 
and,  246;  as  invention  of  man, 
269.  298;  as  tobacco  anu,  280: 
as  false  reasoning,  295;  and 
courage,  297 ;  healing  and, 
307:  God  and.  .323.  325.  362; 
religion  and,  351  f..  362;  life 
and,  391;  death  and,  400;  see 
Consumption,  also  Smallpox 

Doctors,   146.   173,   191.  262,  292 

Dresser.  Annetta  G.,  434 

Dresser,  J.  A.,  11,  12,  14.  19.  21, 
24,  60,  63,  153,  154,  159,  160 

Eddy,  INIrs..  taught  by  Dr.  Quim- 
by,  12.  15:  her  books,  13;  her 
theories,  17,  23;  her  debt,  20; 
her  "important  offer."  22 ; 
writings  aoout  Dr.  Quimby. 
23,  59:  her  "first  scribblings'." 
24:  letters.  152:  Dr.  Quimby's 
patient,  153:  borrows  "Vol.  I," 
of    manuscripts,    154;    defends 


439 


440 


INDEX 


Quimby  in  public  lecture,  155; 
Bonnet  fb  Quimby,  156;  in 
Courier,  157;  to  J.  A.  Dresser, 
159;  "Lines"  on  Quimby,  160; 
relation  to  "Questions  and  An- 
swers," 162-164,  435;  see 
"Christian  Science";  contro- 
versy, 433,  438 
Error,  27,  74,  181,  186,  190,  220, 

249;   see  Opinions 
Evans,   161,   162,  390 
Evening  Courier,  23,  91,  157 

Fear,  126,  288,  291 

Fluids,  36,  45,  54,  56,  69,  82,  194 

Food,  316,  391 

God,  as  wisdom,  165  f.,  324, 
336;  as  truth,  167  f.;  matter 
and,  170,  408  f.,  413,  420,  422; 
as  mesmerist,  175;  as  Creator, 
175;  prayer  and,  205;  in  us, 
225,  257,  307,  326,  330;  as 
Principle,  309;  the  Christians', 
323,  336;  nature  of,  327;  in 
everything,  417 

Goodness,  309,  366 

Happiness,    194,    203,    243,    293, 

320,   413 
Harmony,  167,  186,  220 
Healing,  58,  70,  74,  307,  311  f., 

421 
Health,  182,  307,  311,  361 
Heart  disease,  2,  173,  295 

Ideas,  46,  76,  78,  183,  297,  319, 

331,   415 
Identity,   172.  179,  224,  228,  256 
Ignorance,   181,    187 
Imagination,    40,    46,    50,    52    f., 

234,  260  f. 
Influence  of  mind,  31,  52,  58,  65, 

257 
Intelligence.  180,  183,  189 
Intuition,   55,   58,   273,   426;    see 

Clairvoyance 

Jeffersonian,  Bangor,  89,  106 
Jesus,    4,    122,    168,    171    f.,    176, 
197    f.,    237,    343,     409;     and 
Christ.  172,  193.  215;  body  of, 
}76,  373;  see  the  Christ 


John  the  Baptist,  198 
Journal,  Lucius,  43 

Knowledge,  165  f.,  177,  181;  see 
Science 

Language,  218,  251,  255,  402, 
417,  423 

Lecture-notes,  53,  55 

Letters,  Quimby's,  17;  about 
mesmerism,  47;  to  a  patient, 
79;  to  Mrs.  Norcross,  81;  to  a 
patient,  117;  to  Mr.  S.,  117; 
to  Miss  S.,  119;  to  Mr.  S., 
120;  to  Miss  K.,  121;  to  Miss 
T.,  122;  to  Mrs.  D.,  123;  to 
Mr.  R.,  124;  to  Miss  G.,  124; 
to  Miss  B.,  124;  to  Miss  S., 
125;  to  Miss  B.,  125;  to  Miss 
W.,  126;  to  Mr.  A.,  126;  to 
Miss  L.,  133;  to  Miss  B.,  136; 
to  Miss  B.,  138;  to  Mr.  H., 
139;  to  Mr.  J.,  140;  to  Miss 
G.  F.,  140;  to  Mrs.  A.  C.  B., 
141;  to  Miss  G.,  141;  to  Mrs. 
Ware,  142;  to  a  physician, 
146;  to  a  gentleman,  149;  to  a 
clergyman,  149 

Life,  186,  223,  245,  390,  391,  398 

Light,  396,  409 

Lines  on  the  death  of  P.  P. 
Quimbv,  23,   160 

Love,   187,   190,  297,  343 

Lucius.  30  f.,  37  f.,  39,  50,  61, 
63,  64,  67,  68 

Magnetism,  36.  43,  46,  48,  58,  65 
Man.  the  natural,  189,  228.  235, 
237    f.,    252:    the    scientific    or 
spiritual,  236,  252,  255;   iden- 
tity   of,    256,    264.    403;     and 
woman,  393;   and  God,  396 
Manipulations,  23,  63,  64.  286 
Manuscripts,    see    Quimbv    MSS. 
Matter,    55,    143.    177.    179.    275, 
392,    420;    and   God.    170;    and 
spirit,    177;    and    life,   391    f.; 
see  Mind 
Medicine,  47,  58,  290,  318 
Mediums,  48,  58,  64,  127,  241 
Memory,  175 


INDEX 


441 


Mental  atmospheres,  247,  248; 
see  Odors 

Mental  causation,  61,  191,  311, 
315,  317,   321,  421 

Mental  communication,  60,  62, 
70,  75,  76 

Mental   healing.    17,   68 

Mental  influence,  31,  52,  58,  65, 
257 

Mental  pictures,  51,  55 

Mental  .S'ci'e/ice   Magazine,  22 

Mesmer,  60 

Mesmerism,  16,  29  f.,  39,  49,  58, 
60,  76 

Milmine,  Miss,   162,   165,  435 

Mind,  of  opinion,  17,  389;  as 
spiritual  matter,  118,  179,  186, 
228,  231,  272.  275,  319,  320; 
and  intelligence,  183;  and  mat- 
ter, 222,  233  f.;  the  term,  227, 
233;  nature  of,  235;  senses 
and,  244 ;  influence  of,  257 ; 
disease  and.  271,  319;  as  sub- 
stance, 420;  see  Body  and 
Mind 

Mission  of  Jesus,  207,  243,  355 

Mortal  Mind,  17,  389 

Natural  man.  see  Man 
Natural    senses,    169,    239,    244, 

249 
New   England    Magazine,    8,   21, 

29,  G3,  65.  434 
New  York  Times,  163,  433,  435 

Odors,  mental,  46,  213,  247,  268, 

414,  422 
Opinions,  17,  128,  144,   166,  181, 

204,  262 

Pain,  214,  246 

Parables,  285 

Patients.  70,  79  f.,  165,  191,  211. 

277,  300 
Patterson,  Dr.  D.,  152,  153 
Patterson,    Mary    M.,    see    Mrs. 

Eddv 
Paul,  170,  177,  264,  358,  370,  373, 

.383 
Perception,   14,  39.  46,  64 
Philosophy  of  P.  P.  Quimhy,  19, 

98,  106,  296,  434 


Phrenology,  175 

Portland     Advertiser,     98,     102, 

159 
Portland  Daily  Press,  22 
"Power,"    Dr.    Quimby's,    11,   63, 

138    211    347 
Prayer,  205,  206,  209,  210.  217 
Priests,   173,  207,  210,  256 
Principle,  309 

"Questions  and  Answers,"  12, 
162,  163,  165,  389,  390,  435, 
436,  438 

Quimby-Eddy  Controversy,  433- 
438 

Quimby,  Geo.  A.,  6,  10,  12,  13, 
19   f..   29,   63,   64,  435-438 

Quimby  MSS.,  7,  12,  16,  19  f.,  67, 
433-438 

Quimby,  P.  P.,  life  of,  1  f. ;  as 
inventor,  9,  30;  religion  of, 
10,  202,  232,  283;  in  Portland, 
10,  11,  16,  29,  67,  107;  as 
teacher,  11,  12;  insight  of,  13, 
17,  191;  character  of,  14,  30, 
45.  57,  59;  as  mesmerist,  16, 
29  f..  36  f.,  49,  58,  76;  letters 
of,  17,  79  f.,  117  f.,  see  Let- 
ters; his  secretary,  21;  his 
manipulations,  23,  63;  as 
writer,  21.  25,  62,  71,  230;  his 
investigations,  27,  282,  415; 
as  consumptive,  28;  on  disease, 
32;  relation  to  medical  prac- 
tice, 33,  66;  cured  by  Lucius, 
34;  his  public  experiments,  37 
f. ;  magnetic  healing  of,  44  f. ; 
his  "subject,"  47,  49,  76.  see 
Lucius;  discoveries  of,  49  f., 
55,  70;  lecture  notes.  53,  55; 
as  clairvoyant,  55 ;  his  "pow- 
er," 63,  138,  211,  347;  spirit- 
ism and.  64,  76  f..  188.  239, 
425;  his  science.  67  f . ;  patients 
of,  70,  211,  276;  as  healer,  70, 
74,  190,  194.  307;  his  circular 
"To  the  Sick."  74.  150;  his 
method.  82.  150,  165.  194,  200, 
212.  310;  testimonials  to.  86; 
his  cures,  100;  Mrs.  Eddv  on. 
156-160  f.;  "To  the  Rea'der." 
230;    religious   belief   of,   232; 


442 


INDEX 


falsely  accused,  232,  350,  378; 
on  courage,  298 ;  in  self-de- 
fence, 350,  378;  scope  of  hia 
thought,  418  f. 

Reason,  272 

Religion,  202,  329,  351  f.,  357, 
375 

Repugnance,    165 

Resurrection.  171,  176,  193,  223, 
354,  369,  371 

Robinson's  case,  83 

Rubbing,  see  Manipulation 

Science,  15,  17,  59,  66  f.;  and 
Christ,  17,  143,  193,  210,  346; 
as  God,  168;  of  Jesus,  123,  185 
f.,  197  f.;  establishing  a,  195, 
238,  242,  267,  270;  P.  P.  Q. 
and,  347;  the  term,  382;  Paul 
on,  383;  see  The  Christ,  also 
Christian  Science 

"Science  and  Health,"  12,  13, 
164,  436 

Science  of  Health,  57,  67,  196, 
240,  340,  389,   395 

Science  of  Life  and  Happiness, 
18,  241,  253 

"Science   of  Man,"   162,   163,   164 

Self,  55,   69,   130 

Sensation,   184,  220,  252,  421 

Senses,  the,  31,  244,  249,  421; 
see  Spiritual  senses 

Sickness,  76  f.,  172,  174,  186, 
284,    325,    331;    see   Disease 

Silent  method,  the,  18.  64.  69  f., 
154,  163,  307;  see  Healing 

Small-pox,   264,   268,   270,   278 

Smoking,   124,  280 

Sonnet   (Mrs.  Eddy's),  156 

Soul.  39,  222,  234,  244 

Spirit,  the,  68,  420,  425  f.;  and 
body,  171,  176 

Spirit  and  matter,  177,  180,  213 

Spiritual   matter,   see   Mind 

Spiritual  senses,  54,  66.  169. 
228,  246,  264;  see  Clairvoy- 
ance 

Spiritual  world,  169,  190,  192, 
240,  423  f. 


Spiritualism,   76,    127,    188,   239, 

282,  425 
Strength,  182,  315 
Subconsciousness,     69,     71;      see 

Mind 
Suggestion,    36,    45,    56,    58,    59, 

65,  322 
Swarts.  A.  J.,  16,  434 
Swedenborg,  18,  56,  57,  162,  424, 

425 
Sympathy,  68,  75,  212,  245,  412, 

413,  417 

Testimonials,  86 

Theory,    Quimby's,    100,    188    f., 

194 
Thought.  73.   180,   183.  322 
Treatment,   63,   129,  307,  308 
Town,  Dr.,  95 
Towne.  Maria,  111 
True  History  of  Mental  Science, 

14,  19,  22,  27,  60,  63,  151,  160, 

434 
Truth,  10,  19,  130,  167,  181.  195, 

197  f.;  and  error,  27,  187,  220, 

265 
Tumors,  61,  311 

"Volume  I,"  12,  25,  154,  179-229 

Ware,  Miss  E.  G.,  25,  26,  73 
Ware,  the  Misses,  11,  13,  21,  23, 

24,  26.  439 
Ware,   Miss  S.,   179 
Weight.  218.  219,  317 
Wheelock.  Dr.,  37 
Wilbur,  Sibyl,  435,  436 
Will,   50,  317 
William,  226 

Wisdom.   70,   165,  276,  326.   336 
Woman.  231,  235,  387,  393  f. 
Works,  281 
World,  the  Other,  192,  339,  357, 

371,  373 
Words,  218 
Writings,  Quimby's,  7,  16.  18  f.; 

Eddy's.  13,  23,  24,  59,  162-164, 

429,"  430 


PHOTOGRAPHIC  REPRODUCTIONS 
OF  MANUSCRIPTS 


LIST  OF  PHOTOGRAPHIC  REPRODUCTIONS  OP 
MANUSCRIPT 

I.    Facsimile  of  Mrs.  Eddy*s  Sonnet  to  Dr.  Quimby. 

II-IX,  These  eight  pages  contain  facsimiles  of  four  pages 
from  one  of  the  copy-books  into  which  the  articles  constituting 
"Volume  I"  were  copied  after  the  Misses  Ware  had  consulted  Dr, 
Quimby  concerning  revisions  and  changes.  The  articles  from 
which  these  facsimiles  are  taken  are  printed  in  full.  (See  Chap- 
ter XIV.)  The  dates  show  the  time  when  the  articles  were  first 
written  and  copied.  The  changes  made  in  the  text  in  the  hand- 
writing of  Miss  Emma  Ware,  were  made  at  a  later  time,  jwrobably 
in  1865,  with  a  view  to  revising  these  articles  for  publication  in 
a  volume  of  Dr.  Quimby's  writings.  Similar  emendations  for  the 
sake  of  clearness  were  made  in  several  volumes  of  the  copy-books 
prior  to  Dr.  Quimby's  death.  These  changes  indicate  the  kind  of 
revision  approved  of  by  Dr.  Quimby. 

X.  Facsimile  of  George  Quimby's  note  on  a  wrapper 
covering  a  package  of  original  manuscripts  by  P.  P.  Quimby, 
preserved  in  the  Bank  in  Belfast,  Maine.  Mr.  Quimby  calls 
attention  to  the  fact  that  not  even  the  spelling  has  been 
changed  in  these  writings. 

XI.  This  page  contains  a  facsimile  of  a  letter  and  the  be- 
ginning of  another,  written  during  the  period  when  Dr.  Quimby 
was  developing  his  ideas  and  methods  of  healing  in  Belfast. 
This  facsimile  is  included  with  the  others  to  show  Quimby's 
handwriting,  his  signature,  and  the  dates. 

XII- XrV.  These  three  pages  reproduce  the  original  notes 
of  one  of  the  earliest  articles,  written  prior  to  those  included  in 
the  list  of  the  Quimby  Manuscripts.  The  date  is  1856.  Here  Dr. 
Quimby,  writing  impersonally  about  his  "new  theory,"  states  his 
opinion  that  it  "could  be  reduced  to  a  science  as  correcting  the 
error  of  any  other  science."  He  declares  that  "all  knowledge  of 
disease  is  in  the  mind,"  that  is,  in  the  "feeling,"  not  in  the  body. 
Using  the  general  term  "fluids"  to  cover  not  only  the  bodily  fluids 
but  the  nervous  activities,  he  speaks  of  the  mind  as  "spiritual  mat- 
ter" using  this  term  interchangeably  as  if  it  stood  for  mind  or  the 
matter  which  is  nearest  mind.     The  disease  is  due  to  a  "com- 

445 


446  PHOTOGRAPHIC  REPRODUCTIONS 

bination  of  this  matter,"  and  the  cure  is  accomplished  by  estab- 
lishing a  different  combination.  In  the  last  of  these  three  pages 
Quimby  says  that  "truth  restores  the  mind  and  changes  the  fluids." 

These  pages  are  without  revisions  save  by  the  author  himself. 
No  corrections  have  been  made  in  the  spelling.  Dr  Quimby's 
statements  show  that  even  in  this  crude  early  formulation  of  his 
theory  he  already  possessed  the  elements  of  his  "Science." 

XV-XVI.  Facsimiles  of  first  notes  for  other  articles, 
characteristic  of  many  of  the  originals  of  later  writings. 


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XVI 


14  DAY  USE 

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23  Wy '66  MS 


4€l^liMi 


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DEO  13  19SS 


DEC  1 4 1968 


SEP  2 8  1967 


DEC  4    1967    4 


DEC  2  0 1967    y 


INTER-LIBRAKI 
IBAM 


DEC  1 6. 19^9 


JAN  It)  I9l)19 


DUEI 


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^  ca^    m\  1 9  7g 


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